Roger Waters has slammed “bad faith attacks” on his Berlin concert.
The 79-year-old musician defended himself against accusations of antisemitism after Berlin police announced an investigation into the imagery used at his arena concerts in the city.
He wrote on Facebook: “My recent performance in Berlin has attracted bad faith attacks from those who want to smear and silence me because they disagree with my political views and moral principles.
“The elements of my performance that have been questioned are quite clearly a statement in opposition to fascism, injustice, and bigotry in all its forms. Attempts to portray those elements as something else are disingenuous and politically motivated. The depiction of an unhinged fascist demagogue has been a feature of my shows since Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” in 1980.
“I have spent my entire life speaking out against authoritarianism and oppression wherever I see it. When I was a child after the war, the name of Anne Frank was often spoken in our house, she became a permanent reminder of what happens when fascism is left unchecked. My parents fought the Nazis in World War II, with my father paying the ultimate price.
“Regardless of the consequences of the attacks against me, I will continue to condemn injustice and all those who perpetrate it.”
A police spokesman in Berlin said Waters was being investigated on the “suspicion of incitement to public hatred because the clothing worn on stage could be used to glorify or justify Nazi rule”.
Waters is next set to appear in Frankfurt this weekend, after he successfully appealed a court order to ban the concert.