A protester stormed the stage with an Israeli flag at a Roger Waters concert in Frankfurt, Germany, on Sunday in response to his ongoing touring, which some have deemed anti-Semitic.
Waters has long faced opposition for his criticism of the Israeli occupation of Palestine, but recently came under fire after he donned a uniform resembling that of a Nazi soldier. The costume was part of a segment dedicated to a reference to Bob Geldof’s character Pink in Pink the wall, The screen behind Waters displayed the names of the people the artist believed had been killed in state-sanctioned acts of violence. Waters asserted that the costume was meant to denounce fascism, but that the German police did not view it that way; He is reportedly under investigation for “suspected incitement” following the incident.
Waters discussed his decision to don a Nazi outfit, as well as the protester who rushed onto the stage at the Frankfurt concert. Despite his insistence that the theatrical show was not intended to glorify Nazism – remember that it originated in the aftermath of World War II – he stated that he would not wear the costume at the Frankfurt exhibition.
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“I know everything about December 8th, 9th and 10th, 1938,” Waters said. “I’ve known about it my whole life. It’s part of something I’ve always been aware of. I’m at that age — we know these things. So I worry about people who care about desecrating this place.”
Waters continued, “That’s why I’m making this small—but, I hope, important—gesture tonight. So when the second half starts, and the banners don’t come down, and I don’t wear the leather coat, that’s why. It’s to show that I can’t understand the feelings of these relatives. Guys, or what it was like in 1938 – Frankfurt, and all over Germany.” Watch the protester storm the stage in Waters’ presentation and Waters’ notes below.
The artist’s political beliefs are so polarizing that the city of Frankfurt has tried to prevent his concert in the area from taking place. In a statement, the Frankfurt City Council called Waters “one of the most notorious anti-Semites in the world,” and moved to cancel its showing at the Festhalle, a place that used to be a Jewish concentration camp. The concert went ahead as planned after Waters took legal action against the city council.
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At Roger Waters’ concert in Frankfurt, a brave man with an Israeli flag rushes to the podium in protest of Waters’ disgusting anti-Semitism! ? ? pic.twitter.com/ANvKLTAWXM
– Emily Schrader – ????? ?????? ???? ???? (@emilykschrader) May 29, 2023
Solid night in Frankfurt. Thank you! pic.twitter.com/bbPvFnsmsv
“Roger Waters?” (rogerwaters) May 29, 2023
