Last week, Roger Waters, the co-founder and former lyricist of Pink Floyd, faced criticism for wearing a ‘Nazi-style uniform’ during a concert in Berlin.
According to local media reports, Waters performed at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Germany on May 17. Prior to the show, a message was displayed on a screen stating, “The show will start in 10 minutes and a court in Frankfurt has ruled that I am not an antisemite, just to be clear, I condemn antisemitism unreservedly.”
On Friday, Berlin police announced that they were investigating Waters for incitement to hatred based on the outfit he wore during the concert.
Images circulating on social media showed Waters wearing a long, black coat with red armbands on stage at the Mercedes-Benz Arena.
“We are investigating on suspicion of incitement to public hatred because the clothing worn on stage could be used to glorify or justify Nazi rule, thereby disturbing the public peace,” said police spokesman Martin Halweg, confirming a report by Jewish News. Halweg added, “The clothing resembles the clothing of an SS officer.”
Waters is known for his pro-Palestinian activism and has been accused of holding anti-Jewish views.
In recent weeks, he has performed in several German cities as part of his “This Is Not A Drill” tour.
Waters has denied the accusations of anti-Semitism, arguing that his criticism is directed at Israeli policies rather than the Jewish people.
During the controversial Berlin concert, Waters displayed the names of several deceased individuals on a large screen, including Anne Frank, the Jewish teenager who died in a Nazi concentration camp.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry and social media users in Israel expressed outrage at the concert, particularly regarding the placement of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh’s name immediately before that of Anne Frank.
The Simon Wiesenthal Center also criticized the event, calling for German authorities to officially charge Waters for distorting Holocaust images.
Israel’s foreign ministry tweeted, “Good morning to everyone but Roger Waters who spent the evening in Berlin (Yes Berlin) desecrating the memory of Anne Frank and the 6 million Jews murdered in the Holocaust.”
The center further tweeted, “Shame on Frankfurt authorities and Mercedes Benz arena in Berlin — a place from where Jews were deported by the Nazis — for providing anti-Semite #RogerWaters this venue for his concert with no concern/care for the Jewish community,” and questioned whether Germany would prosecute Waters for Holocaust distortion or continue to book him for anti-Israel and anti-Semitic events.
Post Your Comments