Zach Bryan made history while continuing to make a bold statement with his “Free Palestine” T-shirtSaturday at Gillette Stadium.
Gillette Stadium’s official Instagram accountnoted that the country singer’s sold-out show in Foxborough, Massachusetts, broke the venue’s attendance record with 73,538 fans present. The post included pics of the massive crowd, though had no clear shots of Bryan singing and wearing his black shirt reading “Free Palestine” for a second night in a row.
Fans made note of the selection of the pics in the comments section, with taunts asking why the stadium didn’t clearly show Bryan’s attire.
“Weird you don’t want a close up of his face / shirt 
,” one fan wrote, while another shared, “no closeups scared of some text on a shirt.”
Bryan — who served in the US Navy for eight years — made headlines Friday when he first wore his pointed shirt. The clothing choice is a clear shot at Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft, who banned Macklemore from performing at the venue due to the rapper’s “Free Palestine” comments while opening up for Ed Sheeran’s Loop tour.
The 30-year-old “Revival” singer’s T-shirt is emblazoned with white 3D lettering that reads “FREE PALESTINE.”
A picture of a pine tree is featured below it, dividing it from the remainder of the message that reads “AN APPEAL TO HEAVEN.”
A “Pine Tree” flag and “Appeal to Heaven” are references to an American Revolutionary campaign connected to George Washington’s command of the Continental Army.
“Some American colonists embraced the idea that God could be summoned to help them defend their natural rights,” the National Park Service said about the flag and slogan.
His bandmates also wore Palestine-branded shirts, including drummer Nate Head and guitarist Noah Le Gros.
Head’s jersey bore the name of Hind Rajab, a 5-year-old Palestinian girl in the Gaza Strip who was killed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
Le Gros later also shared a picture of himself in his green Palestine soccer jersey onstage standing in front of Kraft Sports and Entertainment signage.
Sheeran has been forced to make changes to his Loop tour after all his opening acts — as well as his own backing band — dropped out of the tourin solidarity with Macklemore.
On Saturday, he enlisted The Fray frontman Isaac Slade as the surprise guest act for his Atlanta concert.
In his first concert back last month following the controversy, Sheeran broke down in tears and said close family and friends had abandoned him following the controversy.
“In these situations you really find out who your friends are,” he told the audience.
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