Roger Waters returns to "The Wall" ((Photo: Reuters, video editing: Liraz Levana))
The municipality of Frankfurt announced today (Friday) that it is canceling the upcoming show of former Pink Floyd singer Roger Waters, citing his alleged status as "one of the world's best-known anti-Semites" as the reason.
The performance was supposed to take place on May 28 at the "Festhalle" complex in the German city.
In the statement of the city council that announced the cancellation, it was noted that the place was used for the detention of 3,000 Jewish men who were arrested after Kristallnacht, between November 9 and 10, 1938, in which Nazi thugs attacked Jews and destroyed their property.
The men in the hall were abused and later deported to concentration camps.
Since 60 percent of the "Pastahala" shares belong to the municipality, the council was able to cancel the performance.
Earlier this week, she submitted her decision to a judge and today received the confirmation, in agreement with the government of the state of San, that the rest of the shares in "Pastahala" belong to her.
This was preceded by great pressure from Jewish organizations in Germany.
In its words, the council strongly condemned Waters for his support of the BDS campaign that calls for boycotting Israel, as a prelude to its elimination as a sovereign state, and for the pressure he exerted on other artists not to perform in Israel.
She also emphasized the use of anti-Semitic imagery in Waters' performances, including a balloon in the shape of a pig with a Star of David printed on it alongside a host of corporate logos.
She called Waters "one of the world's best-known anti-Semites."
As part of Waters' concert tour, five shows are planned in Germany in May.
There are calls to cancel the performances in Berlin, Munich and Cologne as well.
However, "Haspiegel" reports, lawyers believe that it will be difficult to enforce such bans.
What will happen to the other shows in Germany?
Roger Waters (photo courtesy of HOT8)
Waters recently got into trouble not only for his anti-Semitic and anti-Israel stance, but also for his statements towards Ukraine.
In an extensive interview with The Telegraph newspaper earlier this month, 79-year-old Waters said that he believes that Ukraine is run by Nazis and that it is "not really a country."
Referring to the conflict between himself and Russia, the former Pink Floyd singer added that the claim that Russia's invasion happened after there was no provocation "is fucking crazy", and he also said that in his opinion some of the criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin is "unfair": "About three months ago I called Putin A gangster. It may not have been fair. It may be that he is leading his country for the good of all Russian citizens."
Earlier this month, Waters' former Pink Floyd bandmate David Gilmour shared a tweet from his partner and band's co-writing partner, writer Polly Samson, in which she hurled harsh accusations at Waters.
"Unfortunately, you are anti-Semitic to the core of your rotten bones," she wrote.
"Also supports Putin and is a liar, thief, hypocrite, tax raiser, lipsync, misogynist, jealous, megalomaniac. Enough with your nonsense."
Gilmore, who since Waters left Pink Floyd in the mid-1980s serves as the leader of the band, shared the aforementioned tweet and wrote: "Every word is true without a doubt."
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