Rogers Waters has broken his silence following the backlash he received after a recent concert, issuing a formal statement over the Nazi-like outfit he sported onstage in Berlin, Germany. It wasn’t the first time the Pink Floyd co-founder’s actions have upset the public. However, the all-black outfit, featuring red accents and a Nazi-like armband, took it too far, as concertgoers considered the wardrobe grossly insensitive and offensive.
Waters opened the statement posted to Twitter: “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.”
He added, “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.”
Waters emphasized that he should not be branded a Nazi apologist, writing, “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.”
He closed the statement, “Regardless of the consequences of the attacks against me, I will continue to condemn injustice and all those who perpetrate it.”
— Roger Waters
(@rogerwaters) May 26, 2023
The Independent reported that due to his costume, Waters is now under investigation by Berlin police for the incident because it violates the German criminal code.