Khan raises ‘significant concerns’ with London concert venue chiefs over Waters gigs
Ahead of next week's Roger Waters gigs the Mayor of London meets with AEG Europe, the O2 Arena venue operator responsible for programming, 'to express concerns and the issues raised by the Jewish community'
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Sadiq Khan has held a meeting with the programming team at London’s 02 Arena to express concerns raised by the Jewish community about forthcoming concerts there by Roger Waters.
The Mayor of London “fully understands the significant concerns from within the community regarding this tour,” his spokesperson said.
They added:“The Mayor condemns the use of any antisemitic imagery and his team has recently met with AEG Europe, the O2 Arena venue operator responsible for programming, to express concerns and the issues raised by the Jewish community.”
Waters is scheduled to perform at the O2 arena on June 6 and 7 as part of his European tour which has been dogged by claims of antisemitic imagery and inflammatory statements.
Roger Waters is exactly how anti-Israel activism bleeds into antisemitism. Here he says that Israel “deposed” Corbyn and “installed an Israeli puppet: Keir Starmer”. He imbues the tiny Jewish state with supernatural powers of control that echo Nazi tropes.
A mad absurdity. pic.twitter.com/3z2UF3wLmN
— Heidi Bachram (@HeidiBachram) May 31, 2023
Jewish News understands that both concerts are set to go ahead, despite threats by some campaigners to mount a legal challenge to have them cancelled.
Waters arrived in the UK to perform in Birmingham on Wednesday night, and proceeded to compare himself with former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
He told fans:”They’re trying to cancel me like they cancelled Jeremy Corbyn and Julian Assange. I will not be cancelled.”
In contrast to earlier shows in Germany, the Pink Floyd bassist did not appear on stage in German Nazi outfit at one point of the show – a supposed satirical statement against authoritarianism.
The giant inflatable pig appeared again in Birmingham, but without a Star of David, as had been the case in some Waters concerts a decade earlier.
Last month’s decision to wear Nazi uniform at a concert in Berlin has left the 79 year-old musician facing an investigation by police in the city over his inflammatory stunt.
Waters and his fans claim he is being attacked for his campaigning on the Palestinian issue. But recent footage of comments he made on social media show him repeating tropes about Labour leader Keir Starmer who he accuses of being an “Israeli government puppet.”
In further inflammatory comments Waters suggests:”The ministry of strategic affairs in Tel Aviv deposed Jeremy Corbyn. In the UK, in our country, my country, the country that I am a citizen of, deposed the leader of the Labour Party who was about to win a general election.”
One Labour source told Jewish News his comments “would not look out of place on a far-right party political broadcast.”
Appearing on LBC radio to discuss Waters concerts this week Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet of Mill Hill Synagogue said: “When you have magistrates in Germany trying to cancel his concert, you have to wonder why on earth The O2 are trying to entertain him here in the UK.”
But other communal figures believe moves to cancel the gigs only play into the hands of Waters and his supporters, and that action to prevent Waters engaging in any activity that could deemed to have antisemitic intend is the best way forwards.
Pro-Israel activists are also promising stage protests at next week’s London gigs.
An 02 spokesperson said views expressed by artists appearing on stage at their venues were “uniquely their own.”
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