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Anti-Semitic display at Roger Waters concert

Pig-shaped balloon with Star of David alongside fascist symbols released during British musician's concert in Belgium. ‘I really love his music,’ says Israeli viewer, 'but this time he crossed the line’

On Saturday night, Israelis were among those who attended a British musician and former Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters’ concert in Belgium. Even as Waters is a known activist pushing for the boycott of Israel, Israelis were still amazed to see that the show included a blatantly anti-Semitic display.

 

Toward its end, a black balloon in the shape of a wild pig was released to the sky, on it a Star of David, in the company of symbols of dictatorial organizations and regimes from around the world. 

 

Rogers’ concert took place as part of the music festival in the city of Werchter, and it opened his European tour. Next to the Star of David, on the wild pig balloon, there was also a sign of oil conglomerate Shell, and a graffiti message stating, “Everything will be okay, just keep consuming,” and “What’s wrong with people?”

 

“I came to the concert because I really like his music, without any connection to his political stance toward Israel,” says Alon Onfus Asif, an Israeli living in Belgium. “And I had a lot of fun, until I noticed the Star of David, on the inflatable pig. That was the only religious-national symbol which appeared among other symbols for fascism, dictatorships and oppression of people. Waters crossed the line and gave expression to an anti-Semitic message, beyond all his messages of anti-militancy.”

 

In the last few years, Waters has become one of the leading activists for the boycott of, and sanctions against Israel. He had planned to publish a letter calling on musicians not to perform in Israel, but recently said he was reconsidering his position in order not to hurt people he knew who would be affected by the issue. By this he hinted at the possibility that artists who boycotted Israel might be hurt by pro-Israel organizations.

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 07.24.13, 20:35
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