Ed Sheeran mural artist says vandalism is a 'welcome addition'

<p>The artist who painted a massive Ed Sheeran portrait in Dunedin saysa “Free Palestine” tag slapped across the portrait is a “welcome addition to the mural”.</p> <p>The Bath Street mural of the British singer was created in 2018 by artist Tyler Kennedy Stent before Sheeran played three shows at the Forsyth Barr Stadium.</p> <p>This week, <a href="https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/09/17/free-palestine-written-across-dunedins-ed-sheeran-mural/" target="_blank">the work was vandalised</a> on the back of a <a href="https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/09/17/what-to-know-about-sheerans-tour-after-macklemore-support-artists-left/" target="_blank">controversial string of events</a> which followed after rapper Macklemore was removed from Sheeran’s tour for making pro-Palestinian comments while performing.</p> <p>Since then, other supporting acts announced they had <a href="https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/09/16/other-support-acts-quit-ed-sheerans-tour-after-macklemore-dropped/" target="_blank">also quit the tour in support</a>.</p> <p>Stent said being born in South Africa made him particularly aware of the role international pressure can have on challenging political issues.</p> <p>“The 1981 Springbok tour is a powerful example from New Zealand’s own history of people refusing to accept that sport, culture and politics could…