Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters has come under heavy fire for using anti-Israel and Holocaust themes in his performances.
Local and national U.K. The media is promoting a performance on June 10 in Manchester.
Politicians kept the musician at a distance.
Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party, responded to the Board of Deputies of British Jews, saying, “The Labour Party stands with the Jewish community and fully condemns Roger Waters.”
“Many people will think of Roger Waters as famous for being a part of one of the most significant bands in history, but he is now more associated with spreading deeply troubling antisemitism,” Starmer continued.
“I believe this show should not be allowed to go ahead.” “Views like this should not be given a platform.”
Another member of Parliament, Michael Gove, who is also the minister for intergovernmental affairs and the secretary for leveling up, housing, and communities, also wrote to the Board of Deputies.
“The government is clear that everyone has a clear and fundamental right to freedom of speech and artistic expression, so long as they remain within the boundaries set by law,” wrote Conservative Party member Gove.
Additionally, those with high levels of public visibility are expected by society to act honorably and refrain from abusing their influence.
There are reports that Roger Waters is not living up to this expectation.
The performance, dubbed “This Is Not a Drill,” happened on Saturday at Manchester’s AO Arena.
“Is anyone still surprised? From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” Roger Waters’ Manchester supporters sang tonight, according to a tweet from the Campaign Against Antisemitism.
The group claimed that the chant “only makes sense as a call for the destruction of the world’s only Jewish state—and its replacement with a State of Palestine” and is thus an attempt to deny Jews, specifically, the right to self-determination, which is a violation of the international definition of antisemitism.
German authorities launched a criminal inquiry late last month when Waters performed in Berlin while dressed in a Nazi outfit.
On May 17, he appeared at Mercedes-Benz Arena dressed as an SS trooper and demonstrated how to fire a gun.
Additionally, Waters linked the accidental death of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in Jenin in May 2022 to the Holocaust murder of Anne Frank.
The performance “contained imagery that is deeply offensive to Jewish people and minimized the Holocaust,” the U.S.
The State Department said in a statement condemning the play The artist in question has a history of disparaging Jewish people by utilizing antisemitic cliches.
Pro-Israel protesters interfered with Waters’ next performance on May 28 in Frankfurt, including one who attempted to storm the stage while holding an Israeli flag.
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