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Shawn Mendes calls Gaza a genocide and asks fellow artists to find their courage

Shawn Mendes posted a Free Palestine statement on Instagram, calling the war in Gaza a genocide and pointing fans to three relief groups he has donated to.

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Shawn Mendes smiling onstage in a brown jacket with a guitar strap over his shoulder

Shawn Mendes is speaking out on Gaza in a big way.

The Canadian pop star posted a long statement to Instagram on Thursday that opened with three words in capital letters: "FREE PALESTINE."

"There is a genocide happening before our eyes," he wrote. "The senseless killing in Gaza must stop."

Where he's sending fans

Shawn said he has been educating himself on the conflict so he can figure out how to help. He tagged three groups he says he has given money to: the Palestine Children's Relief Fund, Watermelon Pictures plus the Woven Futures Fund.

He also spoke directly to other musicians. "My friends and fellow artists, I know it can feel scary to speak up; I feel it now as I type this," he wrote.

"Let's normalize speaking up and standing up for those suffering from oppression," he added.

Following Macklemore

His post lands days after Macklemore said nine American arenas backed out of hosting his Free Palestine benefit tour once they learned where the money was going.

The rapper had already sold out shows in Dublin, Paris and London. A spokesperson for Madison Square Garden's parent company pushed back on his claim, saying Macklemore simply isn't an arena-level act.

Shawn, 28, has played benefit shows for Palestinian aid before, including a Los Angeles concert last year.

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