The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) joined more than a dozen major Jewish organizations from across the globe this week in supporting an open letter organized by Creative Community for Peace (CCFP) urging Bertelssman Music Group (BMG) to end its business relationship with ex-Pink Floyd front man Roger Waters.
“For over a decade, Roger Waters has peddled and promoted antisemitism and leveraged his immense platform to spread his hateful views to millions worldwide,” CCFP Director Ari Ingel stated. “As we witness the continued rise of antisemitism, his words and actions are unacceptable. Our letter demonstrates the Jewish community’s concern that corporations cannot sit idly by while their business partners promote hate. We hope BMG reflects on their historical role with antisemitism and reexamines their relationship with Mr. Waters.”
The text of the letter — addressed to Bertelssman CEO Thomas Rabe — follows:
As you may have seen, BMG’s client Roger Waters recently caused an uproar in Germany when he donned a Nazi-like uniform and compared Shireen Abu Akleh — a Palestinian-American journalist who tragically lost her life while working in a war zone — to Anne Frank, a young girl whom Nazis murdered for simply for being a Jew.
In response to this most recent incident, the EU Commission Coordinator on Combating Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life and the United States Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Antisemitism, both loudly condemned Mr. Waters.
The U.S. State Department also stated that Waters’ recent concert “contained imagery deeply offensive to Jewish people and minimized the Holocaust.” The State Department added that, “The artist in question has a long track record of using antisemitic tropes to denigrate Jewish people.”
Unfortunately, the State Department is 100% correct, as this is just the latest in a long list of troubling antisemitic incidents by Mr. Waters.
In the past, he’s described UK Labour leader Keir Starmer as being controlled by Jewish organizations, he’s flown pig-shaped balloons emblazoned with the Star of David at his concerts, he’s falsely blamed Israel for the death of George Floyd, and he’s openly called for the destruction of the State of Israel.
All of this has happened at a time when antisemitic incidents are rising at alarming rates around the world.
We believe that artists, given their massive influence in the world today, have a unique and important responsibility to speak out against bigotry. Mr. Waters has repeatedly shown that he’s determined to do the opposite — and would instead use his voice, his platform, and his public microphone to fan the flames of hatred.
Given Bertelsmann’s unique history — specifically its actions during WWII — we find it troubling that the company would continue to profit from this relationship, especially when you just recently demonstrated that antisemitism should have no home on your roster.
We respectfully urge you to reconsider BMG’s professional ties with Roger Waters and look forward to your reply.
Other backers of the letter included the American Jewish Committee, Anti-Defamation League, Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council, B’nai B’rith International, Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (Canada), Community Security Trust (UK), Conference of European Rabbis, Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions, European Jewish Congress, Simon Wiesenthal Center, South African Jewish Board of Deputies, World Jewish Congress, and Central Council of Jews in Germany.
In May, after the Berlin concert by Waters in which he made the Anne Frank comparison, CAM tweeted, “Holocaust trivialization is a form of antisemitism and bigoted Jew-haters like Waters should not be given platforms to spread their lies and misinformation.”
Last night, at a Berlin show, infamous antisemite Roger Waters compared Holocaust victim Anne Frank to a Palestinian journalist killed in the crossfire of a Jenin battle last year.
Holocaust trivialization is a form of antisemitism and bigoted Jew-haters like Waters should not… https://t.co/tyi9EQrHyw
— Combat Antisemitism Movement (@CombatASemitism) May 24, 2023
