Roger Waters attacks Ed Sheeran after Macklemore is dropped from US tour

Roger Waters called Ed Sheeran a "little prick" in an Instagram video posted on Tuesday night, 15 September, after Macklemore was removed from Sheeran's American tour.

The language was blunt. Waters was responding to the decision to drop Macklemore, which followed Macklemore's onstage statements in support of Palestinians in Gaza, according to Rolling Stone.

In the video, Waters said Macklemore was someone who does "the right thing" while Sheeran does "the wrong thing." The clip displayed the words "Ed Who?" on screen and played a short snippet of Waters's cover of "We Shall Overcome."

The tour at the centre of the row is Sheeran's U.S. Loop Tour. Macklemore had been booked as a support act, the performer who plays before the headliner, for a run of stadium dates.

Messina Touring Group, the promoter handling the tour, said venues had told it they would not allow concerts with Macklemore on the line-up. After discussions with stakeholders, the company said Macklemore would not perform on the remaining support dates.

Sheeran has said the decision was not his. In a statement reported on 15 September, he said he had held direct talks with promoters and activists on both sides, but the decision by the venues and the promoter was final, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Macklemore has given his own account of how the removal happened. He said Sheeran told him that Robert Kraft had said Macklemore would not be allowed to perform at Gillette Stadium in Boston. Macklemore also said Sheeran told him Kraft had rallied other stadium owners to warn that Sheeran could not play their venues if Macklemore stayed on the bill.

The dispute has widened beyond the two headliners. Finneas, Lukas Graham and Aaron Rowe have pulled out of Sheeran's tour in support of Macklemore.

No replacement support acts have been confirmed by the promoter. The remaining dates on the Loop Tour are still listed as going ahead without Macklemore.