Ed Sheeran mural in Dunedin tagged “Free Palestine” amid tour dispute

# What happened A portrait mural of Ed Sheeran on Bath Street in Dunedin was spray-painted with the words "Free Palestine." The mural was originally painted in 2018 by artist Tyler Kennedy Stent ahead of Sheeran's shows at Forsyth Barr Stadium.

# Why this happened

Ed Sheeran posted that the promoter, Messina Touring Group, made the decision and that several venues had communicated they would cancel shows if the supporting act stayed on the bill. Sheeran said he held prolonged discussions with venue managers, including Robert Kraft of Gillette Stadium, but could not resolve the situation.

The Dunedin tagging appears directly linked to those events, with protest sentiment directed at the touring fallout rather than the mural itself.

# Official and local responses A Dunedin City Council spokesperson said the council recognised strong public sentiment around the matter but did not condone vandalism of public street art. The council noted that any decision to remove the spray-painted words rests with the building owner, in discussion with the Street Art Trust. The mural's artist, Tyler Kennedy Stent, was contacted for comment.

# What else has happened since Related reporting indicates the mural attracted additional defacements after the initial "Free Palestine" tag, including added imagery and symbols. Reporting also shows the mural's original artist later backed the "Free Palestine" tag and urged the council not to remove it.

# Why this matters locally Dunedin's public street-art landscape and was created specifically in connection with Sheeran's past concerts. Its defacement has become a local expression of a larger international debate playing out around a high-profile tour. The council's measured statement points to the practical limits of municipal authority over private walls and street art removal.

# Practical next steps and likely outcomes

• The building owner will need to decide whether to remove the graffiti or leave it. That choice will likely involve the Street Art Trust if removal is pursued.
• If the owner opts for removal, that action will be a private property decision and may involve repainting or conservation measures depending on the owner and the wall surface.
• If the owner leaves the tag in place, further public attention and possible additional alterations could follow, as seen in later reports.

# Bottom line A 2018 Ed Sheeran mural in Dunedin was spray-painted with "Free Palestine" in the wake of a dispute on Sheeran's tour that led to the removal of supporting artist Macklemore. The council condemned vandalism but left removal decisions to the property owner and relevant street-art bodies. Subsequent reporting shows the mural attracted additional changes and that the mural's creator expressed support for the initial tag.