Eric Clapton, Brian Eno and Nick Mason call for reversal of Roger Waters’ concert ban
Eric Clapton, Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel, and Nick Mason are among the musicians who have signed a petition to reverse the decision made by officials in Frankfurt to ban Roger Waters from performing in the city.
In a public statement, Frankfurt officials denounced Waters as “one of the most far-reaching anti-Semites in the world” after his planned concert was cancelled. In the wake of their comments, Jewish organisations have urged other venues to follow suit, with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency announcing: “The background to the cancellation is the persistent anti-Israel behaviour of the former Pink Floyd frontman, who is considered one of the most widely spread antisemites in the world.” Waters has since filed legal action.
Now, American comedian and political pundit Katie Halper has launched a petition supporting Waters which has been signed by musicians including Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel, Eric Clapton, Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason, and Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello. Currently, the petition has over 10,000 signatures.
The blurb for the petition reads: “Waters’ criticism of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians is part of his long-term advocacy on behalf of human rights across the globe. Waters believes ‘that all our brothers and sisters, all over the world irrespective of the colour of their skin or the depth of their pockets deserve equal human rights under the law’.”
“With regard to Israel and Palestine, he says, ‘My platform is simple: it is implementation of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights for all our brothers and sisters between the Jordan River and the sea. Antisemitism is odious and racist and I condemn it, along with all forms of racism, unreservedly.'”
It concludes: “Officials in Germany, concert organisers, and music platforms must not succumb to the pressure of those individuals and groups who would rather see Waters’ music removed than engage with the issues his music highlights.”
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