Jewish protestors raise Israeli flag, sing at Roger Waters Frankfurt concert

Frankfurt had tried to prevent the concert from happening in the city because of Waters' antisemitism but was told it cannot stop him.

 Roger Waters performs in Barcelona. (photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
Roger Waters performs in Barcelona.
(photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)

Jewish protestors interrupted Roger Waters' concert in Frankfurt on Sunday with Israeli flags and by singing "Am Israel Chai" (the people of Israel live), according to a video posted by Twitter user Jewish Defense Network.

The video shows one protestor rushing onto the stage with an Israeli flag as security guards rush to stop him. Meanwhile, in the audience, a group of spectators raise Israeli flags and sing.

This protest was carried out after reports that Jewish groups had planned to hold a memorial ceremony at the venue before the performance in protest of Waters' antisemitism.

Waters, who has been accused of antisemitism on many occasions and supports BDS, caused outrage last week after he performed in a concert dressed as a Nazi Schutzstaffel (SS) officer and compared journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was accidentally killed in clashes between Palestinians and the IDF, to Anne Frank who was murdered in the Holocaust.

The performance prompted German authorities to open an investigation into Waters as displays of swastikas and other Nazi imagery are banned in the country.

Former rock band ''Pink Floyd'' musician Roger Waters performs on stage during his tour, at Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington, US, September 18, 2022. (credit: REUTERS/AMR ALFIKY)
Former rock band ''Pink Floyd'' musician Roger Waters performs on stage during his tour, at Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington, US, September 18, 2022. (credit: REUTERS/AMR ALFIKY)

Concert held in significant Kristallnacht site

The Frankfurt concert, which authorities had tried to prevent due to his past antisemitism, was held at Festhalle where more than 2,700 Jews were brutally beaten and abused during Kristallnacht in 1938 before later being deported to concentration camps.

Reports said that the Jewish protests before the concert would include protestors reading aloud the names of 600 Jews who were rounded up in Festhalle. A joint Jewish-Christian prayer in memory of the Holocaust victims was also meant to be held and attended by Frankfurt's mayor and the head of the Frankfurt Jewish community.

Waters has been accused of antisemitism by fellow artists on multiple occasions, including Disturbed singer David Draiman and his own former fellow Pink Floyd bandmate David Gilmour.

He was once filmed comparing Jews to aliens and a couple of years ago, he sang about "taking back the land (Israel) from Jordan to the sea."