Rapper Macklemore who was axed from Ed Sheeran tour announces new Wembley Arena gig that will benefit 'extremist' group that said Hamas' hostage-taking was 'legitimate'

Macklemore's upcoming gig at Wembley is set to benefit an 'extremist' group that claimed the taking of hostages by Hamas on October 7 was 'legitimate'. Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) Britain has also called for a 'siege' on Labour MPs over their stance on Gaza. But the group has been chosen as one of the beneficiaries of Macklemore's Free Palestine concert in London on October 30. The controversial US rapper announced he would perform at Wembley Arena, as well as in Paris and Dublin, after he was kicked off Ed Sheeran 's tour for making pro-Palestine comments on stage, last month .

Several American venues told promoters they would not allow the 43-year-old, whose real name is Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, to perform after he used his opening set to chant 'Free Palestine' and deliver a politically motivated speech. The furore, which began at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey , escalated into a full-blown row and threatened to engulf Sheeran's tour after his other support acts withdrew in solidarity with the rapper. Now the Macklemore & Friends: Free Palestine tour is scheduled to arrive at Wembley Arena just weeks after the anniversary of the Hamas atrocities.

The proceeds will go to a series of groups supporting 'Palestine and the Palestinian movement'. Concerns have been raised over the inclusion of PYM Britain, which politicians and Jewish community leaders describe as 'extremist'. They claim PYM Britain has expressed support for proscribed terror group Hamas by calling October 7 a 'prison break' and 'fundamentally just'. After the massacre, which resulted in the murder of 1,200 people and 250 kidnappings, PYM Britain posted on X: 'When people are occupied, resistance is justified'.

Macklemore & Friends: Free Palestine tour is scheduled to arrive at Wembley Arena just weeks after the anniversary of the Hamas atrocities The rapper was dropped as a support act from Ed Sheeran's Loop tour over pro-Palestine comments he made at the singer's New Jersey shows last month Concerns have been raised over the inclusion of the Palestinian Youth Movement Britain as a beneficiary of Macklemore's Free Palestine gig The group's spokesperson Jeanie Hourani also appeared in a video, seen by Daily Mail, describing the taking of hostages by Hamas terrorists as 'legitimate' and 'effective'.

In another video, she was heard saying the group aims to make Zionism 'untenable' wherever Zionists 'live, work, organise, study, and socialise'. PYM Britain is further alleged to have publicly supported the proscribed terror group Palestine Action, asserting that 'direct action has never been more necessary'. Meanwhile, opponents accused the group of disregarding concerns for MP safety after calling for a nationwide 'Siege on Labour' targeting politicians, councillors and party staff over the government's position on Israel and Gaza.

Among its list of demands for the day of action in 2025 were calls for then Foreign Secretary David Lammy to be sacked and tried as a war criminal in the Hague, as well as making 'Zionism a political crisis for the political class in this country'. PYM Britain, which describes itself as a grass-roots movement that 'organises Palestinian and Arab youth to struggle for Palestinian liberation', sparked further anger after it organised a youth football tournament in Kensington, west London, in August this year.

The group shared a photograph on social media of five children with their backs to the camera, with only two wearing numbers on their shirts – displaying 7 and 10. Advocates claim this was a deliberate reference to the October 7 atrocities. In May of this year, PYM was revealed to have hosted a youth event where 100 young attendees were seen on footage chanting in Arabic: 'We will have victory over Zionism'. At the 'summer school', which was held at the Youth Hostel Association (YHA) Edale Activity Centre in Derbyshire, they added: 'We will return, young people rise up, our revolution is an Arab revolution'.

Participants were also lectured about Ghassan Kanafani, the former spokesperson for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a designated terrorist organisation responsible for multiple plane hijackings in the late 1960s and 1970s. The YHA England and Wales, which operates the venue, said at the time that it would investigate, adding the 'views or activities of private groups using our facilities do not represent YHA's views or values'.

Ahead of Macklemore's planned UK concert, the Jewish Leadership Council (JLC) has written to event promoter Live Nation and OVO Arena Wembley to raise its concerns about the inclusion of PYM Britain as a beneficiary. The JLC has also questioned the platforming of Macklemore as an artist, after he previously caused outrage in 2014 by wearing a costume that featured a black wig, beard and large prosthetic nose. Macklemore later apologised for the outfit, which was widely condemned as a racist 'Jewish caricature'.

The rapper again prompted fury after he juxtaposed photographs taken during the Holocaust from the Warsaw Ghetto with images of a Palestinian child in the West Bank, for his 2025 music video, F**** up. Jewish leaders have also questioned the platforming of Macklemore as an artist at Wembley Arena, after he wore a costume that featured a black wig, beard and large prosthetic nose condemned as a racist 'Jewish caricature' Palestinian Youth Movement members at a protest in London, in January 2025.

Critics say PYM has expressed support for Hamas and Palestine Action A JLC spokesperson told Daily Mail: 'The Palestinian Youth Movement has described 7 October as 'a prison break' and praised young people joining armed factions. 'Its inclusion as a beneficiary of Macklemore's concert raises serious questions about Live Nation's due diligence. 'Live Nation must explain what checks it carried out on PYM and where the money will go. 'At a time of grave violence and threats against Jewish communities, it must also explain how it will protect Jewish audiences and staff from antisemitic incitement and harassment.'

Rebecca Paul MP, shadow culture secretary, added that the promoters and venue have 'serious questions' to answer. She said: 'It is deeply concerning that a concert at Wembley is raising money for the Palestinian Youth Movement, an organisation which has described the events of 7 October as a 'prison break' and organised campaigns targeting British MPs and their offices. 'Live Nation and OVO Arena Wembley now have serious questions to answer about why they are helping to fund this particular organisation, what checks they have undertaken and how the money will be used. 'At a time where Britain's Jewish community is facing a tidal wave of hostility and aggression, venues have a responsibility to ensure they are not providing a fundraising platform for extremism – even inadvertently'.

Lord Walney, former UK Government's independent adviser on political violence and disruption, described the planned gig as a 'hate fest'. He said: 'Macklemore's decision to fundraise for a group that has reportedly celebrated Hamas's 7th October atrocities and calls for the targeting of 'Zionists' doesn't only expose him as a dangerous hardliner, it showcases how far extremism has been normalised in the UK. 'Shame on Live Nation and OVO Arena Wembley for their involvement in this hate fest.

The Home Secretary must urgently clarify whether Macklemore's presence in the UK is conducive to the public good.' The Daily Mail has contacted Live Nation, representatives for Macklemore and the PYM Britain for comment.