Roger Waters recently defended himself against criticism over his concerts last week in Berlin.
During this the former Pink Floyd leader displayed Nazi-like symbolism and made what some people have described as offensive comments about Holocaust victim Anne Frank.
During the shows at Mercedes Benz Arena, Waters appeared on stage as the character Pink from the rock opera “The Wall” during a performance of the song “In The Flesh”, wearing a black leather trench coat with a red armband bearing two crossed hammers instead of a swastika.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UE3zyMpxN3Y
It was later reported that Waters was under investigation for possible incitement by German police, in addition to possibly having committed trademark abuse for the use of Frank’s name without the consent of the Anne Frank Foundation, which has trademarked the name.
Waters projected Frank’s name on a giant screen during the shows, along with several other names of contemporary figures including George Floyd and Shireen Abu Akleh.
“My recent performance in Berlin has attracted bad faith attacks from those who want to smear and silence me because they disagree with my political views and moral principles,” Waters wrote in a statement on Friday (May 26).
“The elements of my performance that have been questioned are quite clearly a statement in opposition to fascism, injustice, and bigotry in all its forms. Attempts to portray those elements as something else are disingenuous and politically motivated. The depiction of an unhinged fascist demagogue has been a feature of my shows since Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’ in 1980.
“I have spent my entire life speaking out against authoritarianism and oppression wherever I see it. When I was a child after the war, the name of Anne Frank was often spoken in our house, she became a permanent reminder of what happens when fascism is left unchecked. My parents fought the Nazis in World War II, with my father paying the ultimate price.
“Regardless of the consequences of the attacks against me, I will continue to condemn injustice and all those who perpetrate it.”
— Roger Waters ✊ (@rogerwaters) May 26, 2023
