2023-05-26 23:23:48
German police have opened an investigation into alleged provocations at a recent concert by ex-Pink Floyd Roger Waters, who notably sported an outfit reminiscent of an SS officer, and a government official attacked the singer.
“We are investigating suspicions of incitement to hatred because the clothes worn on stage are likely to glorify or justify the National Socialist regime and disturb the public peace,” a spokesperson for the AFP told AFP on Friday. Berlin police, Martin Halweg.
Images shared on social media notably show Waters wearing a long black coat and red armbands during a concert on May 17 on the stage of the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin.
Several German and Israeli media also refer to the inscriptions, in red letters on a screen during the concert, of the names of Anne Frank and Shireen Abu Akleh, Palestinian-American star journalist of the Al Jazeera channel killed during an Israeli raid in May 2022.
“Unfortunately, the legal proceedings once morest him have so far turned in his favor – despite spreading anti-Semitism and being suspected of incitement to hatred”, reacted the delegate for the fight once morest anti-Semitism, Felix Klein, to the newspapers of the Funke group.
But “I appeal to the vigilance of the police and justice and I encourage other denunciations”, adds Mr. Klein.
“We are investigating and once the procedure is over, we will send it to the public prosecutor for a final legal assessment,” said the police spokesperson, stressing that it would be up to the prosecution to initiate any legal proceedings. .
The concert drew heavy criticism in Israel.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs thus criticized Waters on Wednesday for having “sullied the memory of Anne Frank and the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust”.
“Waters wants to compare Israel to the Nazis.” He is “one of the greatest critics of the Jews of our time,” Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon tweeted.
Waters, 79, has distinguished himself in recent years by taking a stand, particularly on the war in Ukraine.
“It is not true that the Russian invasion of Ukraine was unprovoked”, had notably launched the ex-Pink Floyd on February 8 before the UN Security Council, where he had been invited by Russia to speak out.
He also defends actions to boycott Israeli products in the name of defending the Palestinian cause.
Frankfurt authorities canceled a concert by the British singer on May 28, but the decision was overturned by an administrative court in the name of freedom of expression.
A demonstration once morest a new Roger Waters concert in Germany, Sunday in Frankfurt, is also planned at the call of the local Jewish community and the Greens party in particular.
“Concert organizers should think twice before giving a stage to conspiracy tellers,” said the government official.
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