Washington Examiner columnist Tiana Lowe Doescher said Zach Bryan’s “Free Palestine” shirt during his concert was unusual.
“I mean, Zach Bryan is supposed to be one of those figures like America’s A and B, red and blue can like, so this was a little bit of a choice,” Doescher said Monday on Newsmax’s The Right Squad.
Bryan wore the shirt at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, which is owned by billionaire Robert Kraft. The move appeared to be a direct response to Kraft’s role in having Macklemore removed from Ed Sheeran’s tour after he said “Free Palestine” during his performance. The New England Patriots owner banded with other NFL owners to have Macklemore dropped from the tour.
Sheeran’s opening acts withdrew from the tour in solidarity with the rapper.
While performing at Gillette Stadium, Bryan broke the attendance record with 73,538 fans, according to the venue’s social media. However, his apparel choice was less about his concern for Palestinians in Gaza and more about appearances, Doescher said.
“It’s just about the effect of being able to say to everyone, ‘I wore a Free Palestine shirt,’” Doescher said.
ZACH BRYAN DEFIES ROBERT KRAFT BY WEARING ‘FREE PALESTINE’ SHIRT
Doescher said advocates for Palestine don’t standing for any specific policies, don’t care about the current ceasefire, and aren’t focused on special envoy Jared Kushner’s negotiation efforts and seeking to ensure girls in Gaza are not being sold as “child brides.”
“I do find it funny how the omnicause, it’s all one thing. Opposing Trump is opposing Israel, which is opposing law and order, which is opposing economic growth, whatever,” Doescher said. “And there’s no nuance to it, you scratch it with a dime and it’s just empty platitudes all the way down.”