Macklemore wears “Free Marwan” shirt on final night of “Free Palestine” tour
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US rapper Macklemore wore a “Free Marwan” T-shirt during the closing night of his Free Palestine Tour, drawing attention to the long-imprisoned Palestinian political figure Marwan Barghouti.
The brief European benefit tour, which raised funds for Palestinian medical, educational, and humanitarian groups, concluded in London after sold-out stops in Dublin and Paris.
It followed Macklemore’s removal as an opening act on Ed Sheeran’s tour after he made onstage comments supporting Palestinians and describing the situation in Gaza in strong terms.
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Proceeds from the shows were directed to organizations including Medical Aid for Palestinians and others providing relief.
Images and video from the final performance show Macklemore on stage in the shirt associated with the international campaign calling for Barghouti’s release.
One earlier stop had also featured a member of the Irish band Beoga, who appeared with Macklemore after leaving Sheeran’s tour in solidarity, wearing a similar “Free Marwan” shirt.
Marwan Barghouti, a Fatah leader and elected Palestinian parliamentarian at the time of his arrest, has been held by ‘Israel’ since 2002.
He was convicted in an ‘Israeli’ court of involvement in operations during the Second Intifada that killed several ‘Israelis’; he has denied the charges and does not recognize the court’s legitimacy.
International bodies, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union, have criticized aspects of the proceedings as falling short of fair-trial standards.
Polls have repeatedly shown him as one of the most popular Palestinian political figures across the West Bank and Gaza.
Supporters of the Free Marwan campaign, launched by his family and backed by civil-society groups, describe him as a potential unifying figure capable of bridging Palestinian factions and advocating a two-state solution.
They point to his role in earlier political initiatives, including the 2006 Prisoners’ Document, and compare his status among many Palestinians to that of Nelson Mandela.
A global letter signed by more than 200 cultural figures—including actors, musicians, and writers—has called on the United Nations and governments to seek his release, citing concerns over his treatment in custody.
‘Israel’ has maintained its claims that Barghouti is a “convicted terrorist responsible for deadly attacks” and has declined to free him in detainee exchanges, including those tied to recent ceasefire discussions.
Macklemore has framed his tour and statements around themes of shared humanity and opposition to what he calls disproportionate suffering.
In earlier remarks on the tour he said, “Being a human being in this moment is not complicated… It is human to have a heart, to watch others suffer and to say not any more. So I say free Palestine.”
On the opening night he told the Dublin crowd he would “continue to fight for collective liberation until our last breath.”
The final-night shirt added a specific focus on Barghouti to that broader message.
