Macklemore Calls For A Free Palestine At D.C. Rally “This Is A Genocide”

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Macklemore, the rapper whose real name is Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, praised the massive turnout at the pro-Palestine rally in Washington DC Saturday, where tens of thousands demanded an end to the war and the elimination of Israel.

“They said I should keep quiet, they said I should do more research, to go back, that it’s too complicated to say anything, to be silent in this moment,” the singer of “Thrift Shop” said from the stage.

“I’ve gone back and I have done some research in the last three weeks, I’m willing to learn,” he told the crowd. “I don’t know everything, but I know enough to know that this is a genocide.”

He admitted that he was not the most “qualified” person to speak on the issue. Thousands gathered in the capital, chanting: “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” and accusing President Joe Biden and other American politicians of genocide Saturday. The chant is widely seen as antisemitic because it suggests the destruction of Israel and its people. Macklemore first expressed his support for Palestinians two weeks ago on Instagram, where he said he couldn’t “stay silent any longer.”

The rapper said he felt “deeply hurt for the Israelis that lost loved ones,” but did not agree with “killing innocent humans in revenge.”

“This is why I am backing the people around the world who are calling for a ceasefire. We are witnessing a genocide in Palestine right now.” At the DC event, many speakers criticized the President, especially his promise to send $14 billion in aid to Israel. Chanting, “Biden, Biden you can’t hide! We charge you with genocide!” Supporters came to the rally to protest against the deaths of 9,000 Palestinians in Gaza due to airstrikes after the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7.