Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters faced accusations last night that he made anti-Semitic comments such as ‘dirty k***’ and ‘Jew food’.
He is also said to have mocked the grandmother of a Jewish musician who died in the Holocaust.
The legendary guitarist is accused of doing a “slapstick impression” of a “Polish peasant woman” and jokingly telling his saxophonist, “I met your grandmother!”
All these claims are made in a film by former BBC investigative journalist John Ware.
It comes as the 80-year-old singer and bassist is on a world tour after dressing in a Nazi-style uniform during a concert in Berlin earlier this year.
Two former colleagues of Roger Waters have publicly spoken out that they believe he is anti-Semitic. Pictured: Waters dressed in a Nazi-style jacket and holding a fake machine gun during a concert at London’s O2 Arena in June this year
The Pink Floyd singer reportedly proposed in an email to paint the words ‘dirty k***’ and ‘follow the money’ on an inflatable pig
Over the years, Waters has consistently denied that he is anti-Semitic.
But in veteran Panorama reporter Mr Ware’s documentary – commissioned by the Campaign Against Antisemitism and released online last night – we see two former colleagues speaking publicly for the first time and saying they think he is one.
Waters is facing accusations that he wanted a giant floating pig decorated with the Star of David and offensive slogans at his concerts.
In an email, reportedly sent by Waters in 2010, he appears to suggest to his backstage team that the pig should be made with ‘dirty k***’, ‘follow the money’ and ‘scum’ on the sides.
The word “k***” is a notoriously insulting word used to denigrate Jews, while the reference to money is a classic anti-Jewish trope, according to the new film.
The pig was eventually created without these conditions, but with the Star of David and dollar signs, and was a part of Waters’ concerts.
Bob Ezrin, a renowned music producer best known for his work with Pink Floyd, Lou Reed, U2, Taylor Swift and Aerosmith, says in the documentary ‘The Dark Side of Roger Waters’ that ‘a part of me is very angry with ( Waters ) for positions he takes in public that affect me as a Jew – and that affect my people, my family and my friends, and I feel that is why I should do this interview and speak about it publicly.”
He suggested that the floating pig would be a “battle cry” for the anti-Semites in the audience, even though Waters himself claimed that it was not anti-Semitic.
Mr Ezrin, who co-produced Pink Floyd’s seminal album The Wall, said: ‘It’s not that he doesn’t know people are getting hurt. It’s not that he doesn’t know that this inflames anti-Semites; there are people who cheer and encourage him and wish that the Jews would go back to where they came from.”
Pictured: An inflatable pig, inflated with insults aimed at Donald Trump, floats over the crowd during a Roger Waters performance in Indio, California in October 2016
Pictured: Roger Waters wearing a long black leather jacket with a Nazi-style armband during a concert at London’s O2 Arena in June this year
He added: ‘I don’t believe Roger sees himself as an anti-Semite, just as most people don’t see themselves as racist. But he walks like a, he quacks like a, he swims like a – so you know, from my point of view, he’s functionally a duck.”
Waters has maintained that he wants to emphasize racism and religious dogma with all kinds of symbols.
Norbert Statchel, a saxophonist who toured with Waters around the world, claimed in the documentary that when waiters at a restaurant once brought out vegetarian dishes, Waters exclaimed, “Where’s the meat?” What’s with this? This is Jewish food! What about the Jewish food! Take away the Jewish food!’.
Mr Statchel, who is Jewish, said: ‘I’m just sitting there, kind of panicking. I don’t know what to do.’
When asked if he considered Waters anti-Semitic, he replied, “Personally, yes.”
The documentary is being shown online by the Campaign Against Antisemitism group.
Waters previously responded to accusations that he is an anti-Semite as ‘bull***’ and ‘vicious lies’.
He said he has worn a trench coat – with a red armband decorated with two hammers – as a “theatre piece” for “over 40 damn years”.
The musician also said he was just five years old when his father Eric was killed fighting the Nazis in North Africa in 1944.
He told Double Down News: ‘So they’re attacking my father, when they’re attacking me… not just from a personal perspective, but what an outrage that anyone could even talk for a second about canceling me.’
Roger Waters previously said claims he is an anti-Semite are ‘bull***’ and ‘vicious lies’ after he was convicted of wearing a ‘Nazi-style’ trench coat on stage – including in Germany
Supporters of the Jewish community demonstrated outside the O2 Arena in June before a performance by Roger Waters
But Gideon Falter, CEO of Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: ‘Roger Waters has repeatedly used his huge platform to lure Jews, but he always claims he is not anti-Semitic.
‘We believed there was further evidence to the contrary, and the release of Roger Waters’ The Dark Side now places the evidence obtained in the hands of the public.
‘Is Roger Waters an anti-Semite? Now people can make their own decision.’
In his concerts and on social media, Waters makes clear his criticism of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, emphasizing that this is his motivation and not any anti-Semitism.
In video clips, repeated in Mr Ware’s new documentary, he says: ‘I’m an anti-Semite? Are you crazy?’ and ‘Obviously I don’t have an anti-Semitic bone in my body; I never did that, I never did anything anti-Semitic; I never said anything anti-Semitic.”
In other clips, Waters says, “The idea that I’m anti-Semitic is ridiculous. This is something that is aimed at anyone who tries to raise their voice against the policies of the current far-right, settler-based Israeli government,” and also, “If we shout the lie loud enough – “Roger Waters is an anti- Israeli Government” -Semite’, we will make the people believe it. Well, no, you don’t, because it’s a lie.’
Waters was contacted for comment.