Fact Check: Did Ed Sheeran buy the canceled concert tickets and offer them to veterans?

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Amid reports of massive ticket cancellations for Ed Sheeran’s stadium tour after Macklemore's removal for his pro-Palestine remarks, an online post claims that Sheeran himself has bought the canceled tickets and offered them to veterans. The claim has sparked speculation, calling for a fact-check.

Claim: Ed Sheeran bought canceled tickets to his show and offered them to veterans

According to a viral Facebook post, after more than 10000 tickets were canceled, Sheeran brought the tickets himself and donated them to VetTix, a free service that gives concert and sporting event tickets to low-income veterans. 

"If people don't want to come, that's their right," Sheeran allegedly said. "I don't think it's fair to let those seats go empty." 

"I just want to sing my songs and entertain people." 

The post has garnered hundreds of thousands of views as of this writing, with many mocking and criticising the English singer, while others praised him, indicating that many appeared to believe the claim to be true, while a few others questioned its authenticity.

Fact Check: False, the claim was posted by a parody account

The claim, however, is false, as there are no reports of Sheeran buying the cancelled tickets and offering them to veterans.

There are no official statements, announcements, or social media posts from the Grammy Award winner that support the claim. There is also no evidence of him making the above-mentioned statement.

A search on Google for the claim yielded no credible reports by prominent news or entertainment media outlets about the rumor, which, if true, would not go unreported.

Moreover, the claim was posted by a popular Facebook parody account called ‘America’s Last Line Of Defense,’ which describes itself in the bio as ‘Nothing on this page is real.’

Ed Sheeran breaks silence on Macklemore controversy

Sheeran has issued a statement over the controversy after all four supporting acts for the Loop tour have backed out in support of Macklemore. 

He has claimed “Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision” and not his, after the 43-year-old rapper made comments in support of Palestine during Sheeran’s two live dates in New Jersey earlier this month. 

In a lengthy statement, Sheeran clarified that “I spoke with the venues at length all week to try and build a bridge,” before noting, “I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew and the other support acts and musicians who rely on me for work and to make a living.”