Antisemitism Watch

Kraft Accused of Antisemitism for Forcing Macklemore Off Tour Over "Free Palestine" Statement
UK Universities Accused of Normalizing Antisemitism Via Selective Free Speech Claims
Federal Court Revives Antisemitism Lawsuit Over LAUSD Ethnic Studies Curriculum

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📝 Transcript

You're listening to Antisemitism Watch, I'm Rachel Adler.

We begin with a report from The Nation concerning allegations that New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft leveraged his influence to have hip-hop artist Macklemore removed from Ed Sheeran's stadium tour. Macklemore's statement of "Free Palestine," according to The Nation, prompted Kraft to allegedly threaten to cancel Sheeran's sold-out shows at Gillette Stadium, which Kraft owns, if Macklemore remained on the bill.

The Nation further argues that Kraft's actions constitute antisemitism, stating that Kraft uses his wealth to equate Jewish identity with support for the Israeli state and silences critics. The article asserts this false equivalence "winds up actually fanning the flames of antisemitism" and is a "slap in the face to the legions of young anti-Zionist Jews." The report notes that Macklemore himself responded, emphasizing that the true victims are the Palestinian people experiencing violence.

The report also mentions singer Pink wrote on Instagram that Macklemore's statement made her feel "scared" as a Jewish person, and that Kraft rallied other stadium-owning billionaires to make similar threats. The Nation cites a Washington Post poll indicating that 61 percent of American Jews believe Israel has committed war crimes in Gaza, and 39 percent say the country is committing genocide, with younger respondents showing the highest percentage of dissent. The article also references groups like Jewish Voice for Peace and If Not Now.

On university campuses, particularly in Britain, conflict continues following the October 7th attacks. Reporting reviewed for this episode highlights arguments by Amira Halperin and Stephen Sussman, published by Fathom, which contend that academic freedom and free speech are being selectively invoked on campuses to normalize antisemitic expression and allow universities to avoid institutional responsibility.

According to Halperin and Sussman, the core issue is not criticism of Israel itself, but a failure to distinguish protected political debate from conduct that intimidates or discriminates against Jewish and Israeli students and faculty. Their analysis suggests that institutional neutrality can function as a mechanism of avoidance, with legal protections for speech used to justify inaction. The report notes that distinguishing between protected expression and discriminatory conduct requires careful assessment, as contemporary antisemitism may be masked within political debates over Israel, Zionism, and colonialism.

Separately, in California, a federal court has revived an antisemitism lawsuit concerning Los Angeles Unified's ethnic studies curriculum, according to reporting reviewed for this episode. State leaders, including State Superintendent of Instruction Tony Thurmond and State Board of Education President Linda Darling-Hammond, had previously rejected the lawsuit's claims.

I'm Rachel Adler, thank you for listening to Antisemitism Watch.

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This report was generated with AI assistance and may contain inaccuracies. Please verify important details with primary sources.

📚 Sources

Sources:
- fathomjournal.org: https://fathomjournal.org/when-academic-freedom-becomes-weaponised-the-normalisation-of-antisemitic-expression-in-british-academia/
- edsource.org: https://edsource.org/2026/appeals-court-revives-lausd-ethnic-studies-lawsuit/766125
- thenation.com: https://www.thenation.com/article/society/macklemore-ed-sheeran-robert-kraft-palestine/