Roger Waters Dresses up as SS Officer, Compares Anne Frank to Abu Akleh

"Good morning to every one but Roger Waters," tweeted the Israeli Foreign Ministry.

Roger Waters dressed up as an SS officer and compared Anne Frank to Al-Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh during a concert at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin last week.

At the beginning of the show, an announcement was displayed on a screen reading “on a matter of public interest: a court in Frankfurt has ruled that I am not an antisemite," sparking applause from the crowd. "Just to be clear, I condemn antisemitism unreservedly," continued the announcement.

Waters, the former bassist and vocalist of the band Pink Floyd, has repeatedly come under fire for anti-Zionist and antisemitic statements and actions, with his former bandmates rejecting his actions. Waters also has expressed support for Russia amid its invasion of Ukraine.

Shortly after the show began, a graphic displayed on a crucifix-shaped screen hanging above the stage showed speech bubbles reading "They must think we're f*%$ing stupid!" and "Who do you mean by they?"

"Them, up there in the penthouse, the f&%$ing oligarchy," continued the speech bubbles. "Ah, you mean the powers that be," added another speech bubble as a man in a suit drinking wine and riot police with shields with a symbol of crossed hammers were displayed on the screen. Throughout the show, humanoid pigs and shady businessmen "pulling the strings" were displayed on the screen. Social media users and activists condemned the imagery as an "antisemitic dogwhistle."

The screen proceeded to display the names of Sophie Scholl, an anti-Nazi activist murdered by the Nazis; Mahsa Amini, who was murdered by Iranian "morality police"; George Floyd, who was shot by a police officer in Minneapolis; and Anne Frank, who was murdered by the Nazis in Bergen-Belsen, among other individuals killed by various authorities and regimes throughout the past century.

The list also included Abu Akleh, who is believed to have been killed by shots fired by Israeli soldiers during a shootout with Palestinian terrorists in Jenin, and Rachel Corrie, who was crushed by an armored IDF bulldozer in the southern Gaza Strip in 2003. In both cases, Palestinians claim that Abu Akleh and Corrie were targeted directly by the IDF, while the IDF says the deaths were an accident.

Abu Akleh's name was listed right before Anne Frank, sparking outrage from Israeli and Jewish activists and officials around the world.

The @Israel Twitter account run by the Foreign Ministry bashed Waters on Wednesday, tweeting "Good morning to every one 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."

After the list of names, a graphic on the screen stated that "they" are so brutal "because they want to crush our resistance and keep ruling the world."

After an intermission, Waters walked on stage in a SS uniform as an inflatable pig with various words and symbols and glowing eyes floated over the crowd and banners in the style of the Third Reich but with crossed hammers instead of a swastika hanging from the ceiling. Waters proceeded to fire a fake machine gun toward the audience.

Later in the performance, Waters displayed the words "F$%& the occupation" while singing "Lay Down Jerusalem (If I Had Been God)."

Outside the arena, a fan of Waters printed out an interview he gave to Der Spiegel and placed it on display, according to Belltower News, a site that focuses on covering far-right extremism and hate crimes. A BDS rally was also held outside the arena.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center condemned the performance on Wednesday, tweeting "Shame on Frankfurt authorities and Mercedes Benz arena in Berlin — a place from where Jews were deported by the Nazis — for providing antisemite #RogerWaters this venue for his concert with no concern/care for the Jewish community."

Waters also performed in Munich and is set to perform in Frankfurt, with Uwe Becker, anti-Semitism commissioner for the German state of Hessen, calling on local officials to at least prevent "the worst antisemitic propaganda motifs" if they cannot prevent the show entirely, according to German media. Frankfurt had originally banned the concert entirely, but a local court ruled that the city must allow the performance.

There’s one thing you never mention that proves he has a problem with Jews.

You claim that he only has a problem with Israel because of their policies.

So are you going to tell me that Israel is the ONLY country that has done something bad in the last 40 years, or at least they have acted the WORST of any country in the last 40 years.

Because Roger Waters focuses his attention on Israel and their evil ways.

He doesn’t like how Israel treats the Palestinians. Fair enough. Except in Israe3l Palestians are in the Knesset. In other countries in the Middles East, such as Saudi Arabia, only Muslims are allowed to be in their government, and have full rights. Other religions can’t bring ion their holy books, or practice openly. And have a risky life. In Dubai, Qatar etc, Filipino, Indian, and other workers can be murdered, no investigation.

How come Waters has no problem with this?

There are countries that kill, imprison, commit violence against Christian. Countries like Lebanon had a Christian majority, and active violence have made them a minority. Where did Waters say anything against Lebanon, etc.?

Roger Waters has no problem with murders or human rights abuse against Christians. Well, maybe if a Jew did it.

What about China? China has more than a million Muslims imprisoned and has been commiting genocide against them. I dare you to find the most anti-Israel source you can and compare the number of Muslims they say were harmed by Israel and compare it with the number harmed by China. It’s a tiny fraction. But Roger Waters doesn’t make an issue about this? I don’t understand.

Take Myanmar. Myanmar has been persecuting their Muslims much harsher than Israel ever did. Look it up. Why doesn’t Waters have a problem with that?

And Saudi Arabia trying to slaughter and starver Yemenis? There are other countries that persecute Muslims, but somehow Waters only cares about Jews doing it?

What about all kinds of other human rights, and genocides?

Where was Waters on Hutus killing Tutsis in Rwanda?

What about Tamils in Sri Lanka?

What about Pol Pot’s killing fields?

What about Idi Amin?

What about Darfur?

What about South Sudan?

What about the Congo?

What about the years of Apartheid in South Africa?

You claim that Roger Waters is just a simple anti-Israeli, who is unfairly blamed as an anti-Semite?

Can you explain how the ONLY people in the world he cares about are people harmed by Israelis? There are other demonstrably worse than what Israel does. China and Myanmar are treating a larger number of Muslims, in a worse fashion. But he doesn’t go around yammering about that.

How come he only cares when Jews are doing something bad?

Do you see how I don’t think your contentions compute?

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