Country music star Zach Bryan wore a “Free Palestine” T-shirt onstage during his concert at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro on Friday night, delivering a silent act of defiance against Patriots owner Robert Kraft just weeks after Kraft blocked rapper Macklemore from performing at the venue over similar pro-Palestine advocacy.
The Bottom Line
- Zach Bryan and band members Nate Head and Noah Le Gros wore pro-Palestine shirts and jerseys during Friday night’s concert at Gillette Stadium.
- The onstage protest follows Robert Kraft’s decision last month to remove Macklemore as an Ed Sheeran opening act over Palestinian freedom advocacy.
The Gillette Stadium Protest
The concert marked the first of two weekend shows in Foxboro for Bryan’s “With Heaven On Tour” stop. Alongside Bryan’s T-shirt, members of his backing band joined the silent protest. Drummer Nate Head and guitarist Noah Le Gros wore jerseys produced by the clothing brand Wear the Peace, which donates its profits to humanitarian aid in Gaza.
The demonstration at Gillette Stadium did not go unremarked on social media. The popular X account Only in Boston noted in a Saturday morning post, “Zach Bryan wore a ‘FREE PALESTINE’ shirt onstage at Gillette Stadium Friday night. Interestingly, not ONE person invited to GSSocialSuite, Gillette Stadium’s VIP social media/influencer experience, posted a photo of him performing that night.”
Fan Reactions and Brand Responses
As Gillette Stadium’s official X account posted Saturday to advertise the second night of the concert, fans piled into the replies with sharply divided views. “Zach Bryan made Kraft look like a bozo,” one commenter wrote. Another fired back, “You have a whole antisemitism database in your stadium and you’re just gonna let him do this?”
Meanwhile, the clothing brand behind the stage attire applauded the band on social media Saturday. “This is how you represent Palestine in the same stadium that tried to silence it,” Wear the Peace posted on X. “Thank you Nate and Noah for rocking our jerseys, it makes us proud. Free Palestine.”
The Preceding Macklemore Ban
The onstage statement comes after Robert Kraft had Macklemore removed as an opening act for Ed Sheeran’s scheduled Gillette shows last month. That removal followed the rapper advocating for Palestinian freedom in New Jersey and performing his war-protest song, “Hind’s Hall.”
Kraft, who established the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism, stated that Macklemore’s “broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community … would cross that line.” Kraft subsequently pledged $2 million for humanitarian aid in the Middle East.
| Artist | Venue | Action / Protest | Response / Consequence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Macklemore | Gillette Stadium | Advocated for Palestinian freedom and performed “Hind’s Hall” in New Jersey. | Removed as an opening act for Ed Sheeran’s scheduled Gillette shows by Robert Kraft. |
| Zach Bryan | Gillette Stadium | Wore a “Free Palestine” T-shirt during the first of two weekend shows. | Generated widespread public debate and social media reactions among fans and brands. |
