Pop star Pink used to be one of the most outspoken anti-war and pro-LGBTQ celebrities back in the 2000s, but now the Pennsylvania-born singer is facing a wave of online backlash after sharing a post attacking Macklemore over his outspoken support for Palestinians during a recent concert. A prominent influencer and activist has since called Pink out for attacking Macklemore’s anti-war message.
Macklemore performed at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4 and 5 as part of Sheeran’s tour. During his set, the rapper wore a keffiyeh, called for a “Free Palestine” and performed his protest song “Hind’s Hall,” which addresses the war in Gaza. Pink, aka Alecia Beth Moore-Hart, subsequently reshared a post from StopAntisemitism criticizing Macklemore’s comments and arguing that concertgoers deserved apologies and refunds.
The move quickly sparked criticism from people who accused the Pennsylvania-born singer of conflating support for Palestinian rights with antisemitism, particularly influencer Matt Bernstein. Bernstein notably pointed out Pink’s old song criticizing the US-Iraq War, where hundreds of thousands of Muslims also died as a result of the US invasion. The controversy escalated further when Pink appeared to respond to the backlash through a series of Instagram Stories.
One post from the singer read, “Being liked by everyone is a clown’s job,” while another stated, “If they want to paint you as the villain…then pose.” A third added, “If my honesty offends you imagine how much I can’t stand your [expletive].”
Pink eventually disabled comments on her Instagram account, according to reports, while continuing to share posts and celebrating her 47th birthday on September 7. Her response drew further criticism from social media users, including people who questioned why she objected to Macklemore’s Palestinian message.
People online were confused by Pink’s crashout
Pink immediately drew further criticism thanks to Bernstein’s arguments against her, with many labelling her as a Zionist. One commenter wrote, “In this day and age people still see calling for Free Palestine is antisemitism,” adding, “shame on P!nk, yikes.” Another argued that Macklemore had also called for freedom for Sudan, Lebanon, Congo, and Cuba, saying the controversy was ignoring the broader context of his remarks.
Others focused on Pink’s repeated Instagram posts. “The best way to prove that you’re not mad is to post over and over again how not mad you are,” one person wrote. Another said Pink appeared “so ‘unbothered’” despite posting to her Story repeatedly.
Some commenters went further, accusing Pink of being inconsistent with her previous progressive positions. One wrote, “The most shocking part” was that she had previously supported women and LGBTQ rights, with former fan lamenting, “She’s not liberal anymore if she’s supporting the extreme right wing Israeli govt.” Another commenter invoked Pink’s connection to Judaism and Zionism, writing, “I guess she is cool with genocide.”
Pink so far hasn’t publicly offered a detailed explanation of her position on Macklemore’s comments. Instead, her Instagram activity has kept the controversy alive, turning a disagreement over a concert speech into a heated debate over celebrity activism.
