A petition has been launched to reverse the decision to ban Roger Waters from performing in Frankfurt, Germany. Waters was originally slated to perform in the city on May 28 amid his This Is Not A Drill Tour. The show was pulled by city officials following accusations of antisemitism.
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Now, Eric Clapton, Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello and Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason have rallied behind Waters and become famous proponents of a change.org petition aiming to have the decision overruled.
Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel, actor Susan Sarandon, and Julie Christie have also shown their support. The petition currently has more than 10,000 signatures.
“Waters’ criticism of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians is part of his long-term advocacy on behalf of human rights across the globe,” reads the description of the petition. “The officials vilifying Waters are engaging in a dangerous campaign that purposely conflates criticism of Israel’s illegal and unjust policies with antisemitism.
“Officials in Germany, concert organizers, and music platforms must not succumb to the pressure of those individuals and groups who would rather see Waters’ music removed than engage with the issues his music highlights,” the description continued.
A second petition has been launched online that opposes the first. The second petition mirrors the city officials’ accusations of “persistent anti-Isreal behavior.”
“Roger Waters, notorious for his antisemitic slanders and incitement has had his upcoming show in Frankfurt banned by the German authorities due to his endless slurs of the Jewish people, like flying a giant pig balloon bearing the Star of David at his concerts,” the description for the anti-Waters petition reads. “Now certain individuals are attempting to override the ban so that he can bring his brand of Jew-hatred to the very place where the Holocaust was born.”
Last week, management confirmed that Waters was willing to take legal action against the city officials’ decision. He called the ban “unconstitutional,” “without justification” and an attempt to “silence him.”
Currently, the decision to cancel the Frankfurt show is still intact. All other dates as part of the This Is Not A Drill Tour are scheduled to continue as planned.
Photo: Brian Lima / Rogers and Cowan
