EXCLUSIVE: “We are today… WGA!” was the cry outside Cologne Cathedral yesterday evening in Germany, where around 50 protestors held a rally in solidarity with their WGA counterparts in the U.S.
27.05.2023 - 18:01 / etcanada.com
Roger Waters is responding after becoming mired in controversy after the Berlin stop on his This Is Not A Drill tour.
At one point in the show, the Pink Floyd alum donned a long SS-style leather overcoat adorned with a swastika-like symbol (actually crossed hammers), replete with a Nazi-style red armband, before being handed a prop machine gun and gleefully firing into the crowd.
Anyone familiar with the 1982 film “The Wall” — written by Waters, and based on Pink Floyd’s 1979 concept album of the same name — will recognize the iconography was directly lifted from the movie, in which an alienated rock star refashions himself as a Hitler-style fascist dictator; Waters has worn similar uniforms onstage when performing “The Wall” for several decades.
Nevertheless, given Waters’ frequent criticism of Israel, wearing a Nazi-style uniform onstage in Berlin was not a good look, leading to a firestorm of controversy.
READ MORE: Roger Waters Claims He’s On Ukrainian ‘Kill List’ After Comments On Russian Invasion
As a result, German authorities have opened an investigation into the matter to determine whether Waters’ performance violated the country’s stringent anti-Nazi laws.
The investigation was launched because Nazi symbols, flags and uniforms are strictly prohibited in Germany, with a police spokesperson telling Reuters that Waters’ onstage uniform was alleged to be “deemed capable of violating the dignity of the victims, as well as approving, glorifying or justifying the violent and arbitrary rule of the Nazi regime in a way that disrupts public peace.”
Interestingly, Waters addressed the controversy before if even took place.
As People reported, prior to the start of the show Rogers appeared onstage to deliver a
EXCLUSIVE: “We are today… WGA!” was the cry outside Cologne Cathedral yesterday evening in Germany, where around 50 protestors held a rally in solidarity with their WGA counterparts in the U.S.
Rammstein frontman Till Lindemann is being investigated by prosecutors in Berlin, following multiple allegations of sexual assault.According to Agence France-Presse (via Barron’s), the investigation follows several women coming forward, claiming that they were drugged and prepositioned for non-consensual sex acts at various Rammstein shows.“Preliminary proceedings have been initiated against Till Lindemann on allegations relating to sexual offences and the distribution of narcotics,” said a spokeswoman. She also claimed that the inquest was started at their own will, and that no further comments would be issued so as not to hinder the investigation.In a statement to Agence France-Presse, the frontman denied all claims, and labelled the accusations as being “without exception untrue”.The allegations against Lindemann first arose last month, when a 24-year-old named Shelby Lynn claimed that a supposed “casting director” invited her to sit in a “row zero” section at the band’s show in Vilnius, Lithuania.Documented on social media, she claimed that someone led her beneath the stage and the singer later made an advance towards her.
Netflix saga about the British royal family is stopping short of diving into the story of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in its upcoming final season — but it will still include at least one of Harry’s most notorious incidents.Season 6 will feature the Duke of Sussex’s Nazi costume scandal. According to People, the show appeared to film scenes of the aftermath of Harry’s controversial choice to dress up as a Nazi solider, which happened in 2005. The prince, who was then 20, went to a costume party decked out in a Nazi outfit, complete with a swastika. Actor Luther Ford will play him on-screen, and portray the snapshot and tabloid fallout. Immediately afterwards, Harry put out a statement in which he said that he was “very sorry if I caused any offense or embarrassment to anyone.
Christopher Vourlias When push comes to shove, the Transilvania Intl. Film Festival has always prided itself on pushing the envelope, preferring to err on the side of provocation where other fests might choose to play it safe. That mentality has been encoded into the fest’s DNA since its beginnings in the tumultuous post-Communist era, when civil liberties and artistic freedom were still far from guaranteed in the newly democratic Romania. Yet after a turbulent period of unprecedented disruption, brought on first by the coronavirus pandemic and then by the widespread humanitarian and economic crises spurred by Russia’s invasion of neighboring Ukraine, even TIFF founder Tudor Giurgiu admits, “These were tough years.” The temptation might have been there to tinker with a formula that has made the festival such a success for the past two decades.
Jared Leto has surprised passers by in Germany after he was spotted scaling the wall of a hotel.Leto has filmed climbing a stone wall of five-star Hotel De Rome in Berlin on Monday (June 5) in joggers and a t-shirt, but without any harness attached. In videos shared to social media, Leto can be seen scaling the wall while a group of passers by gathered to observe what was going on.Leto climbed a few feet off the ground to the hotel balcony before he climbed back down the wall safely.As yet, it’s unclear why Leto was scaling the wall but TMZ have reported that Leto was spotted with TikToker Younes Zarou, who is known for wild stunts and illusion videos.
Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters over his recent show in Berlin, describing it as “deeply offensive to Jewish people”.Last month, Waters appeared on stage at his show wearing a black trench coat with a swastika-like emblem during a segment that revolved around a character from Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’, who imagines himself as a fictional fascist dictator during a hallucination.The musician claimed that the segment was a statement against fascism, injustice and bigotry and called criticism of it “disingenuous and politically motivated”.US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, Deborah Lipstadt, called the concert “Holocaust distortion” and amplified a tweet denouncing Waters by the European Commission’s coordinator on combating anti-semitism.I wholeheartedly concur with @EUAntisemitism’s condemnation of Roger Waters and his despicable Holocaust distortion. https://t.co/9gfdH94TZl— Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt (@StateSEAS) May 25, 2023According to Reuters, the State Department supported Lipstadt’s comment and added that Waters’ Berlin concert “contained imagery that is deeply offensive to Jewish people and minimized the Holocaust,” in an email.The department went on to add: “The artist in question has a long track record of using antisemitic tropes to denigrate Jewish people.”Waters has faced significant backlash following the show in Berlin.
Mark Sutherland “I know you didn’t come here to listen to this,” sighed Roger Waters as he surveyed the O2 crowd. With most aging rockers on a “first-ever farewell tour”, that statement would likely mean they were about to play some new material. At Roger Waters’ show, sadly, it meant he was about to sing the same old song. Sure enough, an extended rant against “the Israeli lobby” and British MP Christian Wakeford followed. “They are trying to cancel me,” he claimed, to at first hesitant, but then louder applause. “And it hurts. We’ve done 80 shows and we’ve done nothing but share our love for people. That’s why I’m so pissed off with this Israeli lobby bullshit.” He also accused his critics of, “Making up stuff because you’ve been told to by your masters from the Foreign Office in Tel Aviv.”
Roger Waters‘ concert in Frankfurt on Sunday (May 28).The Pink Floyd musician has faced numerous accusations of anti-semitism in recent months, also facing controversy over Nazi-style clothing worn at a recent gig in the German capital, which will now be investigated by Berlin police.
report from AP. The protest comes just days after Berlin authorities announced Waters was under investigation for a Nazi regime-themed performance that took place earlier this month at Berlin’s Mercedes-Benz Arena.
Celine Dion has cancelled her remaining tour dates following her diagnosis of an incurable neurological condition. Dion, 55, told fans on Friday that she was “tremendously disappointed” to “let them down”. In a statement, the Canadian singer said: “I’m working really hard to build back my strength, but touring can be very difficult even when you’re 100 per cent.
Roger Waters has shared a statement in which he calls the recent controversy over his Berlin gig a “smear” aiming to “silence” him.This week, it was revealed that the former Pink Floyd member is to be investigated by Berlin police over Nazi-style clothing worn at a recent gig of his in the German capital.The gig came after Waters provoked backlash after making a reference to Anne Frank at one of his earlier concerts in Germany, in which he wore an outfit that some deemed as having connotations to the Second World War.This particular segment of the show revolved around a character from Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’, who imagines himself as a fictional fascist dictator during a hallucination.
Travel blog by Travels of Adam (Hipster Blog) – Travels of Adam (Hipster Blog) - Travel & Lifestyle Hipster Blog I‘m not sure how it happened, or when, but at some point Berlin, as a word, became synonymous with “cool.” But not just cool. A special kind of cool. Something very Berlin.
Rogers wrote on Facebook.“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,” he continued.
Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic Former Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters took to social media Friday night to defend himself — as he often has in recent years — against charges of antisemitism, saying that “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.” His statement followed on the heels of Berlin police telling news media that they had opened an investigation into Waters’ behavior and imagery at his arena concerts in Berlin. Waters did not directly refer to the news of the German police investigation in his post. “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,” Waters wrote on Facebook. “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.”
Roger Waters is to be investigated by Berlin police over Nazi-style clothing worn at a recent gig of his in the German capital.Earlier this month (May 17), Waters provoked backlash after making a reference to Anne Frank at one of his concerts in Germany. The former Pink Floyd member also pretended to fire a rifle during part of his set, and wore an outfit that some deemed as having connotations to the Second World War.This particular segment of the show revolved around a character from Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’, who imagines himself as a fictional fascist dictator during a hallucination.
Roger Waters‘ should not perform in Manchester due to fears that his “divisive actions” could fuel anti-Jewish hatred.The former Pink Floyd member has been provoking controversy with his live shows – the most recent taking place in Berlin on May 17 in which he wore an outfit that some deemed as having connotations to the Second World War, mentioned Anne Frank and pretended to fire a rifle.According to BBC News, the Bury South Labour MP Christian Wakeford told other MPs his concern about Waters playing at the AO Arena on June 10, explaining that “The city of Manchester has a rich and vibrant history in which those of different faiths and backgrounds have lived together as well as stood together through difficult times and times of division.”Roger Waters has a long history of vile attacks against Jewish people. His recent shows in Berlin show why he should not be welcome in Manchester.
pic.twitter.com/lPglzDQ0io“The State Security Department at the Berlin State Criminal Police Office has initiated a criminal investigation procedure regarding the suspicion of incitement of the people (140 Paragraph 4 of the German criminal Code),” Berlin chief inspector Martin Halweg said. Halweg continued: “The context of the clothing worn is deemed capable of approving, glorifying or justifying the violent and arbitrary rule of the Nazi regime in a manner that violates the dignity of the victims and thereby disrupts public peace. After the conclusion of the investigation, the case will be forwarded to the Berlin Public Prosecutor’s Office for legal assessment.”Jewish News first reported the investigation. In addition, the Board of Deputies of British Jews responded to Waters’ performance and called out his “long history of vile comments” related to the Jewish community. Roger Waters has a long history of vile comments relating to the Jewish community.
Rammstein frontman Till Lindemann fell off the stage at the band’s first concert of the year in Vilnius, Lithuania on Monday (May 22).At the end of the gig at Vingis Park, all six members of the German industrial metal band stood at the front of the stage to thank fans and wrap up the gig, as recorded in video footage.Seconds later, Lindemann fell into an opening behind him while most of the band members remained oblivious to what happened.The band appeared the look into the void a few seconds later, though it’s not known if Lindemann sustained any injuries.The band are due to continue their European this weekend for two shows at Helsinki’s Olympiastadion on Saturday (27) and Sunday (28).They will also perform shows in Munich, Madrid, Lisbon, Budapest, Berlin, Paris and more throughout the summer, before their close out at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on August 4.
troubled Waters strikes again. Controversial rock frontman Roger Waters is back in hot water after seemingly cosplaying as a Nazi SS officer — and comparing deceased Al Jazeera journalist Abu Akleh to Anne Frank at a recent concert in Germany.The inflammatory performance, which went down last week at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, opened up with an announcement on a screen that read: “On a matter of public interest: a court in Frankfurt has ruled that I am not an antisemite.““Just to be clear, I condemn antisemitism unreservedly,” the message continued, the Jerusalem Post reported.
EXCLUSIVE: Berlinale Series Head Julia Fidel is exiting after four years in post.