The family of a 13-year-old boy attacked by a rabid beaver in Maryland is describing the animal as a large adult measuring about four feet long.

The July 26 attack was the first of three involving rabid beavers that led to the closure of Cunningham Falls State Park in Frederick County, according to the family’s GoFundMe page. The boy was identified by WUSA 9 as Dominick Cebula.

Dominick had been swimming in a designated area and looking at fish beneath the water when the beaver suddenly lunged at his chest and latched onto him, his family said in the online fundraiser.

His mother and younger brother witnessed the unprovoked attack from the shore, the family said.

“This 4-foot-long beaver (not a cute little cuddly beaver — this thing was as big as his 8-year-old brother) came out of nowhere from the deep of the lake, beelined straight toward D, and began biting and attacking him,” Dominick’s aunt, Leigh Cebula, said.

“He did not provoke it, poke it, or mess with it in any way. This was completely unprovoked.”

Dominick’s father, Jeff Cebula, told WUSA 9 that the animal shook its head and would not release its grip.

“He grabbed its head and a leg, and he tried to get it off of him,” Jeff said. “At that point, he kind of felt that it was locked onto him. And then it started shaking its head, kind of like a dog would do.”

Dominick eventually managed to pull the beaver off his chest and tried to back away with his hands raised, his dad said.

The beaver then lunged at him again and bit his right hand, prompting Dominick to fight it off a second time.

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He was promptly airlifted to Johns Hopkins Hospital, where doctors began treating his wounds and administering rabies post-exposure treatment.

“It was so traumatic. He was life-flighted to Johns Hopkins because the paramedics were worried his lung was punctured, luckily it wasn’t,” Dominick’s mother, Alishia Cebula, told News Media.

The boy is now recovering well after undergoing surgery earlier this month.

“He is doing much better. He just had surgery on 9/4 to repair a severed nerve in his finger,” Alishia said. “He had a lot of appointments, especially with the rabies vaccines he had to get. Thank God for the vaccine. 

“Luckily, we’re getting to the end of this traumatic event.”

Leigh added that the incident happened in an area where the family had swum for years and had never spotted beavers before.

Following the attack, the beaver was euthanized after testing positive for rabies. Swimming access to Hunting Creek Lake at the park was closed soon afterward.

The incident marked the first in a series of three attacks at the park.

On Aug. 5, a 19-year-old fisherman was bitten in the ankle by a beaver.

Less than three weeks later, a 10-year-old girl at Seneca Creek State Park was also attacked while wading with an organized group.

Paramount executives are reportedly “deadly serious” about pulling the company out of California as the entertainment giant remains locked in a dispute with the state over its proposed multibillion-dollar merger.

CEO David Ellison has threatened to leave Paramount’s Hollywood base of roughly a century if California officials continue pursuing an antitrust lawsuit aimed at stopping the company’s merger with Warner Bros. Discovery.

Sources inside Paramount told Deadline that the studio is “deadly serious” about exiting the Golden State.

The potential move appeared to become more tangible on Wednesday, with Ellison’s October 1 deadline for reaching an agreement fast approaching.

According to Deadline, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Attorney General Rob Bonta were told that Paramount had already placed a deposit on moving trucks.

Bass and Bonta told TMZ that Paramount had been preparing to announce its California departure yesterday, though no announcement was ultimately made.

The clash follows an antitrust lawsuit filed by Bonta and 11 other state attorneys general challenging Paramount’s $110 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. Bonta accused the studio of resorting to “blackmail” in an effort to pressure the public into backing the deal in recent months, Deadline reported.

A Paramount exit from Hollywood could deliver a severe economic blow to California, potentially putting thousands of jobs at risk.

A report by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp’s Institute for Applied Economics obtained by Politico found that Paramount’s move could result in the loss of 28,990 to 57,9880 full-time jobs. 

The state is also at risk of losing between $10.6 billion and $21.2 billion in annual economic output. State and local tax revenue may also drop by around $585 million to $1.17 billion per year.  

While Bonta told the outlet they would not comment on Paramount’s plans, he said: ‘It’s no secret that Paramount has been making this threat, despite its alleged commitment to California and Hollywood.’

‘What Paramount decides to do is Paramount’s choice alone. We’ll continue to apply the law without fear or favor and continue to be open to coming to the table for good faith discussions,’ the attorney general added. 

State GOP Chairwoman Corrin Rankin told the California Post that Bonta ‘wants to play antitrust crusader while California jobs hang in the balance.’

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‘If Paramount walks and thousands of jobs go with it, he won’t get to blame Hollywood, the buck stops with him. Stop grandstanding, negotiate the protections and make a deal,’ she said. 

But Bonta said that Paramount was being unreasonable during negotiations, according to TMZ. 

With no deal on the table, Ellison threatened to move Paramount to Texas, Georgia or Tennessee by October 1.

A spokesperson for City Hall told Deadline that the mayor has been ‘focused on protecting and fighting for jobs in LA, including critical jobs in the entertainment industry that have been a vital part of Los Angeles’ economy.’

‘She’s been engaged on this issue and will continue to fight to make sure LA is home to Hollywood,’ the mayor’s office continued. 

Paramount’s exit from California joins the trove of companies seeking to relocate from the blue state. 

The likes of KB Home, Chevron, Charles Schwab, Oracle, Palantir and many more have already made their exits, as well as Elon Musk’s Tesla, SpaceX and X.

All of those businesses, other than SpaceX and X which are not currently publicly traded, have market caps in the hundreds of billions of dollars, or even north of one trillion dollars in the case of Tesla. 

Thiel’s decision to abandon California and move Palantir first to Colorado and then Florida came in response to last year’s ‘billionaire tax’ threat. 

Charles Schwab’s departure for Texas cited the high cost of doing business in California as a major factor in their decision to leave.  

The Daily Mail reached out to Mayor Bass’s Office, Attorney General Bonta and Paramount for comment.  

Baltimore Ravens rookie wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane’s encouraging NFL debut has been interrupted after the team placed him on injured reserve Wednesday.

Lane underwent surgery Wednesday after suffering a wrist injury in the first half of Baltimore’s 41-23 season-opening victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. The former USC standout must now miss at least the Ravens’ next four games.

The earliest Lane could return is Baltimore’s Week 6 road matchup against the Cleveland Browns.

Ravens head coach Jesse Minter struck an optimistic tone Wednesday, telling reporters that Lane “definitely has a really good chance of coming back here pretty quick,” offering hope that the rookie’s absence could be limited to the minimum injured reserve stay.

“The minimum IR stay is what we’ll be shooting for,” Minter told reporters at the Ravens practice facility. “I know he’ll attack it and he’ll be back as soon as it is. Whatever the number [of weeks] is, you try to slice a week or two off of that from a player’s competitive standpoint. I know he’ll be chomping at the bit to get back.”

Lane nearly recorded the first touchdown of his NFL career in Week 1, hauling in what appeared to be a 4-yard scoring catch before a holding penalty wiped it off the board.

ALSO READ: Macklemore Pledges $1 Million to Palestinian Relief Efforts

The Ravens selected Lane in the third round of this spring’s NFL Draft, and he quickly emerged as a player to watch during training camp.

In an Instagram Story posted after the Colts game, Lane made clear he plans to return with urgency, writing, “Save your pity I will be back believe that.”

Veteran Ravens receiver Rashod Bateman said he shared some perspective with Lane after the injury.

“You never know how your career will go. That’s part of that sport,” Bateman said, according to the Ravens’ team website.

“I spoke to him, gave him some words of encouragement. He’s definitely beating himself up about it, but there’s only so much he can control. That’s what I had to teach myself.”

The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, or TCOLE, will strip the Trinidad Police Department of its authority to appoint and retain licensed officers effective Friday, escalating a months-long controversy involving the small Texas city’s police force.

In a Sept. 9 letter sent to Mayor Dennis Haws, TCOLE said the department had “failed to meet minimum standards” and could not show that it provided a public benefit to the community.

State regulators identified shortcomings in fundamental police resources, including bullet-resistant vests and secure evidence storage. They also said the department was missing 18 mandatory policies, with gaps involving use of force, vehicle pursuits, officer conduct, active-shooter incidents and investigations into misconduct.

During Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, Interim Police Chief Cameron Beckham faulted prior leadership for the department’s condition. He also challenged portions of TCOLE’s assessment, saying many of the cited problems had already been corrected.

“Piss-poor management is what I’m just going to say,” Beckham told council members.

The Trinidad Police Department has drawn heightened scrutiny since May, when resident Jennifer Combs was arrested on a felony charge of making a false alarm or report after she posted online about concerns over the city’s water supply.

In a May 20 Facebook post, Combs said she was collecting photos, videos and firsthand accounts from residents dealing with water issues. Her goal, she said, was to document the complaints and urge state investigators to test water inside residents’ homes. Combs spent 23 hours in jail before a Henderson County grand jury declined to indict her.

Citizen journalist Winston Noles was subsequently arrested and charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct while protesting outside City Hall. That charge was later dismissed.

Former Police Chief Charles Gregory resigned in June. Combs has since filed a federal lawsuit against the city and Gregory alleging political retaliation. Prior News Media reporting also documented that former Trinidad Municipal Judge Shellena Bivens was dismissed after throwing out Noles’ charge.

Henderson County District Judge R. Scott McKee also later questioned the “accuracy, completeness, and reliability” of information Trinidad officers provided while seeking a search warrant connected to Combs’ arrest.

The Texas Rangers confirmed in July that they had opened an investigation involving Trinidad but did not disclose its scope.

Haws told News Media that city leaders will meet with their attorney Friday morning to discuss their next steps. He said the meeting could involve several options rather than being focused solely on keeping the department open.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Haws said the early meeting time would leave the city time to pursue measures such as an injunction or appeal if advised by counsel.

“We are going to work through this process according to the law and at the direction of our attorney as we go through it,” Haws said.

TCOLE’s letter also states that revocation does not relieve Trinidad of continuing obligations involving personnel records, 2026 traffic-stop data and unresolved misconduct investigations.

News Media reached out to TCOLE for further comment.

Macklemore has signaled that being removed as an opening act on Ed Sheeran’s tour will not deter his outspoken support for Palestine, following his public “free Palestine” remarks.

The 43-year-old musician said Wednesday that he plans to give $1 million in earnings from the Sheeran tour to organizations providing aid to Palestinians.

The rapper, whose legal name is Benjamin Haggerty, also renewed his criticism of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Macklemore has alleged that Kraft worked with other stadium owners to have him excluded from Sheeran’s tour, and he urged the billionaire to match the $1 million contribution.

The tactic appears to have been successful, as shortly after Macklemore announced his donation on Instagram, the billionaire shared a statement on X announcing that he planned to match a $2 million donation from Sheeran.

The Daily Mail contacted representatives for both Macklemore and Kraft for comment, but had not received a response at the time of publication.

The announcement follows a wave of backlash aimed at Sheeran after Macklemore’s departure. Fans reportedly unfollowed the singer across social media, while each of the tour’s remaining scheduled opening performers pulled out.

In his post, Macklemore named six groups that will receive funding: Anera, Gaza Soup Kitchen, HEAL Palestine, Medical Aid for Palestinians, the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF), and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East’s U.S. arm, UNRWA USA.

“With everything that has happened over the last 48 hours, I want to bring the conversation back to where it belongs: to the Palestinian people who are still being killed, still living under military occupation, and still fighting for their freedom,” Macklemore wrote in his Instagram statement.

‘I will be donating the entire $1 million of my net earnings from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour to six organizations working directly to support the Palestinian people,’ he continued. ‘And I invite Robert Kraft to match my donation.

‘Whatever we disagree about, perhaps we can agree on this: Palestinian lives are worth protecting,’ Macklemore stated. ‘A Palestinian life is no less valuable than any other life on this earth.’

Macklemore then tried to move the focus away from his professional setbacks to the people he hoped to help.

‘That is what this has always been about. Not me. Not a tour. Not the headlines or the controversy,’ he continued. It is about Palestinians’ right to freedom, dignity and safety in their homeland.’

He added that Palestinians living amid the destruction wrought by Israeli forces faced far greater setbacks and dangers than himself. 

‘I want to center the parents carrying their children into hospitals without the basic resources to treat them, and the physicians, paramedics, journalists and aid workers who keep going back in,’ Macklemore said. ‘I want to center the organizers and activists who have paid real costs for standing with Palestine. Their risk is of a far different order than mine.’

‘Just yesterday, 15-year-old Muhammad al Zinati was killed in an Israeli strike while rushing to help aid worker Sherif Lubbad, who had already been injured,’ the performer wrote. ‘He was a child. Both were murdered. Both should be alive.’ 

Macklemore added that countless more Palestinians’ names might never be remembered, as their families may have been wiped out.

The Same Love rapper admitted that ‘Writing a check is one of the least costly forms of solidarity available to me.

‘I am doing it because I can, and because these organizations are doing the work while much of the world debates it.’ 

But he went on to caution that ‘aid alone’ could not solve the crisis affecting Palestinians.

‘This is a manmade injustice, and I believe it requires immediate political change. Palestinians have lived for decades without basic rights and should not have to wait another day to be free,’ Macklemore wrote. ‘That is where my focus will remain. I will continue to stand with the Palestinian people and their fight for liberation.’

He then warned his fans: ‘When the news cycle moves on, which it will, don’t move with it.’ 

Macklemore concluded his post by simply stating: ‘Free Palestine.’

In just a few hours, Macklemore’s donation announcement on Instagram had garnered more than 1.8 million likes. 

The comments were overwhelmingly positive, with one fan writing, ‘This will go down in history and your grandchildren will remember this.’

‘You are the greatest hero,’ another Instagram user wrote, while one poster mused: ‘Imagine if our politicians had this integrity.’ 

One fan wrote, ‘This is what a TRUE artist is [heart]. Power to the People,’ while others shared their ‘Respect.’ 

‘You’re a superhero @Macklemore. Free Palestine,’ wrote another adoring fan. 

Shortly after the rapper announced his donation and urged Robert Kraft to match it, the New England Patriots owner shared a statement in which he vowed to donate $2 million, though he was more vague about where the money would be going.

Kraft also claimed that his plans to make the donation were not motivated by Macklemore’s statement, but were instead spurred on by a call from Sheeran. 

Macklemore and Kraft announced their donations just a day after Sheeran’s opening acts on his tour all dropped out in protest over Macklemore being removed from the live dates.

The rapper was due to open for Sheeran at eight of the remaining ten shows on his tour in America, which continues on Friday in Philadelphia, but on Tuesday it was announced that he had been dropped. 

The American rapper had faced a boycott petition to remove him after he delivered a politically motivated speech in support of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank during his performances at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4 and 5. 

Sheeran has now lost his remaining support acts – Billie Eilish’s brother and music partner Finneas, his close friend Myles Smith, Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham and Beoga – who have all put out separate statements announcing that they will not continue with their dates on the LOOP Tour.

Responding with an Instagram statement after the news he had been dropped, Macklemore claimed that Sheeran told him billionaire Robert Kraft, whose company owns the Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts where Sheeran is set to play later this month, orchestrated the move after ‘rallying stadium owners and issuing an ultimatum.’

Later that day, Sheeran, 35, addressed the 43-year-old rapper being removed from the tour with his own statement, which said that Macklemore’s speech had upset the owners of venues they were set to play while reminding fans he will never personally take a publicly political stance. 

Finneas wrote: ‘Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed. I have decided to withdraw from my upcoming tour dates with Ed Sheeran. I stand with Palestine and its people.’

And Irish singer Rowe took a strong stance as he wrote: ‘Ed has been a friend to me and has changed my life. I could never thank him enough for this.

‘But as Irish people, we know all too well about genocide, forced famine and violent occupation.’

The Hey Ma hitmaker continued by saying he ‘cannot stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up.’

The third support act who pulled out was the group Lukas Graham who wrote: ‘We should be able to speak about war, about civilians being killed, about children who deserve to grow up. Wherever they live. Whatever flag flies over them.’

Lukas Graham said that their upbringing in a small Danish community made it so speaking your mind was part of everyday life and having more money did not invalidate one’s opinions.

The group concluded by saying: ‘I love Ed, and I’m grateful for everything we’ve shared. That hasn’t changed. But I can’t put these words out into the world and carry on with this tour as things stand.

‘I’m sorry we won’t be there. This is a difficult decision but it’s one I need to stand by.’

Irish band Beoga, who actually join Sheeran during Galway Girl on stage, also revealed that they are removing themselves from the tour.

They wrote: ‘We have been friends with Ed for over 10 years now and will continue to be.

‘Playing to those crowds every night is the stuff of dreams but to play in venues that silence anyone advocating for a Free Palestine is simply not an option for us.’

Beoga also showed their solidarity for Macklemore as they echoed his sentiments by writing: ‘The whole episode is once again serving to distract from the real issue, over 1000 Palestinians have been killed since the most recent so-called ceasefire.’

Sheeran’s friend Myles Smith, who previously supported him on his 2025 tour,  released a statement on Wednesday morning, telling fans: ‘For everyone asking me to drop out of Ed’s tour, let’s get something straight: I’m not on that tour anymore.’

Whilst Smith confirmed he had dropped out he went on to voice his support for Sheeran, insisting ‘Ed it not the victim here. Palestinians are. But let’s not get confused: Ed it also not the perpetrator.’

‘I need to be very clear about Ed. He is my friend. Not an industry friend. A real one. And there is no pressure, no trend, no headline and no comment section that will make me turn on him or hang him out to dry.’

‘Supporting Palestinian life, safety and freedom does not require me to betray someone I know to be a good human being. It requires me to keep the focus where it belongs: on the people suffering, and on the people with the power to stop it.’ 

Smith highlighted his background ‘working in a home with Holocaust survivors, spending time with the Jewish community and hearing stories of bravery, survival, loss and humanity from people who had lived through things most of us only read about.

‘I’ve also spent my life around Muslim friends and families, spend time in mosques, celebrated Eid throughout my youth and grown up in Luton: a working-class, proudly multicultural, predominantly ethnic minority town where Island and Muslim culture were part of the beauty and fabric of everyday life.’

‘Neither of those experiences taught me to sit on the fence. They taught me to be human.’

He ended his lengthy statement by saying: ‘My career has been my dream since I was a little boy, and I know I’m still on that journey. But if it means risking parts of that dream to bring awareness, compassion and rationale to this subject, then so be it.

‘I cannot live in a world where children are not even allowed to have dreams because of the terrifying world they were born into.’ 

The Daily Mail has reached out to Sheeran’s representatives for comment on the acts resigning from the tour and has yet to hear back.

It remains uncertain how the LOOP Tour will proceed with zero openers scheduled and 18 dates still set through the end of the year.  

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Sheeran broke his silence on Macklemore on Tuesday. The singer, who is a father of two, said that his audience is often young people ‘from different backgrounds,’ who do not expect his shows to be a political forum.

Sheeran assured his followers that Macklemore’s removal would not affect his tour, as he told them ‘I would never let down the fans who had made plans’.

In his reaction, which came two days after Macklemore’s own statement, he said: ‘I am appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine. 

‘The suffering and pain caused on both sides is a human tragedy. There are too many wars across the world causing immeasurable pain, none of which should be tolerated.

‘Macklemore asked to join my tour last year and I agreed, because I respect him as an artist. As with all my support acts, I agree that they play a setlist of their choosing.

‘After Macklemore’s performances at my New Jersey shows, venues on my upcoming tour dates communicated that they would pull the shows if he was still supporting.’ 

Sheeran continued by explaining that he had tried to find a resolution so that Macklemore could remain on his tour but he was not able to.

He said: ‘I was informed that this stance was based on how Macklemore conveyed part of his message during his performance, rather than on everything that was said. I spoke with the venues at length all week to try and build a bridge.

‘One of those people was Robert Kraft. I was also involved in direct talks with promoters along with activists on both sides to try and find a mutual resolution for all, but the venue’s and promoter’s decision was final.

‘Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine. Macklemore’s contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me.’

Sheeran then explained that there would be no alterations to the tour he has planned because he would never let his fans and crew down.

He said: ‘I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew and the other support acts and musicians who rely on me for work and to make a living.

‘I have always used my platform and music to bring people from all backgrounds and cultures together and this won’t ever change. Those who have been to one of my shows will know that they are about unity, joy, escapism, love, and a place for everyone to feel welcome.

‘I am not complicit. I have my personal views on this devastating conflict. Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn’t mean I don’t have them, and it doesn’t mean I don’t care. Nor does it mean I don’t support causes in my own, personal way.

‘There is a reason I do not use my professional platform for politics – my audience includes young people, often children, of all backgrounds. Those who come to my shows do not expect a political forum. 

‘I respect Macklemore’s strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes. However, there is room for multiple approaches to the same end: peace. I choose to use my fame and platform to be a place of safety and sanctuary, to maintain diplomacy and keep conversations open, not closed. If we only focus on shouting the loudest, nothing will ever change.

‘There are different approaches to being an advocate for change. I have spent this week trying to build bridges, to find a solution and unfortunately, was unable to do so. I know who I am, both as a person and as an artist, and those who know my heart know my values too.’

Sheeran captioned his post: ‘It’s important I set out some facts’. 

In a statement on Instagram, Macklemore claimed that his long-term friend Sheeran had told him that Robert Kraft personally called the singer to inform him that the rapper would not be allowed to perform at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts.

Kraft is the billionaire CEO of the Kraft Group, which owns the Gillette Stadium along with NFL team the New England Patriots. 

He wrote that ‘Ed also told me that Kraft had rallied some of the other stadium owners and collectively they gave him an ultimatum: if Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues.’

In his 1,000 word statement the rapper went on to say that he did not blame Sheeran personally, writing that his friend was put in a ‘f***ed up position.’

‘He told me that the words “Free Palestine” and the image of the Palestinian flag were hurtful to a lot of people he spoke with,’ Macklemore continued. 

‘I told him that if those words were more offensive than tens of thousands of Palestinian children being killed by Israel, then there was a fundamental disconnect between where those people stood and where I stood. But he couldn’t get past his public facing, “I don’t take sides.” And I get why people don’t.’

‘Taking a side can cost you,’ Macklemore added. ‘Money, brand deals, sponsorships, festivals, private shows, relationships and access. I’ve lost all of those things. But there is no neutral position between the oppressor and the oppressed.’

He noted that the pair had had ‘some difficult conversations this past week’ and he hoped that ‘this isn’t the end of my relationship with Ed. Thirteen years of friendship doesn’t disappear because of one painful disagreement.’

Kraft has defended his decision to block Macklemore from performing, saying the rapper ‘crossed a line.’

‘Gillette Stadium has a longstanding commitment to providing a welcoming environment for all guests and ensuring that events held at our venue do not provide a platform for hate speech,’ Kraft said in a statement.

‘Based on Macklemore’s recent actions, material shared from the stage during Ed Sheeran’s shows in New Jersey, and a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community, we determined that his participation in the September 25 and 26 concerts at Gillette Stadium would cross that line.’

The promoter for the American side of Sheeran’s LOOP Tour, Messina Touring Group, said in a statement that they were told by venues of future dates on the tour that ‘they will not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore on the lineup.’

‘Which would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans,” a spokesperson continued to Rolling Stone. ‘After discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates.’  

As seen in fan-taken footage from his September 5 performance in New Jersey, Macklemore wore a keffiyeh at one point during his set and also performed his 2024 song Hind’s Hall with footage of Gaza on the massive screen behind him.

In the lyrics for Hind’s Hall, the rapper criticises actions in Gaza. Proceeds from the song go toward humanitarian efforts from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. 

The full video from the performance shows Macklemore standing on stage and addressing the crowd. 

‘One of the reasons why I wanted to come on this tour was because I wanted to stand up here on stages in stadiums across America and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: Free Palestine. I said, Free Palestine!’ he told the attendees.

‘I want those words to be loud and clear so that people from Gaza, all the way to the occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten them.’

He then introduced Hind’s Hall, stating that it ‘was inspired by the bravery of Columbia University students who led an encampment movement that mobilized the entire world. Opened up hearts, myself included.’

‘So thank you to those students that risked their diplomas, that risked their tuition, that risked their scholarships, that stood up and said, “No.” CUAD students, Students for Justice in Palestine, and Jewish Voice for Peace. Thank you guys.’

He addressed the Jewish community, stating: ‘To all of my Jewish brothers and sisters: Criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide in no way is a criticism of you.’

‘My message is for peace. Love. For all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect, and equality. So I say free Palestine. I say free Lebanon. I say free Cuba. I say free Congo, free Sudan, free all people in America living in fear over this terrorist organization ICE. None of us will be free until we are all free.’ 

Macklemore went on to post a video of his speech on social media with the caption: ‘Wanting all humans to be treated equal should never be controversial.’ 

The singer Pink weighed in on the controversy, reposting an Instagram Story from StopAntisemitism, which slammed Macklemore’s performance.

The caption on the post read: ‘Awful – Jewish fans bought tickets to see Ed Sheeran sing last night in NJ, not to be ambushed by Macklemore’s anti-Israel propaganda.

‘Instead, Macklemore walked onstage in a keffiyeh, shouted “Free Palestine,” accused Israel of a false “genocide,” and turned a mainstream event into a political nightmare against the Jewish state. Concert-goers are owed apologies and refunds.’

In response, Macklemore appeared to double down on his comments last week, as he posted a clip of his speech from MetLife Stadium with the caption: ‘Wanting all humans to be treated equal should never be controversial.’

Pink did not add any additional commentary aside from re-sharing the post.

In 2014, Macklemore issued an apology after wearing a disguise on stage in Seattle that many condemned as an anti-Semitic Jewish caricature.

In his apology after the Jewish caricature controversy, he said: ‘There is no worse feeling than being misunderstood, especially when people are hurt or offended… I respect all cultures and all people. 

‘I would never intentionally put down anybody for the fabric that makes them who they are. I love human beings, love originality, and… happen to love a weird outfit from time to time.’Macklemore added that he never thought he looked Jewish. ‘Some people there thought I looked like Ringo, some Abe Lincoln. If anything, I thought I looked like Humpty Hump with a bowl cut,’ he said.