German officials unsuccessfully attempted to cancel the Pink Floyd singer’s show because of his “persistent anti-Israel behavior” and his status as “one of the most widely spread antisemites in the world”.

An administrative court in Frankfurt has granted permission for Roger Waters to hold a concert on May 28, despite the city officials’ previous attempts to cancel it. The officials claimed that Waters’ alleged anti-Israel behavior made him unsuitable for the event, citing him as one of the most notorious antisemites worldwide. Prior to the administrative court’s decision, Waters had threatened legal action against the motions to cancel the shows. 

The BDS movement and Waters’ pro-Palestine stance were not the only reasons Frankfurt officials disapproved of his concert. According to Pitchfork, some of Waters’ performances incorporated a pig-shaped balloon that sported the Star of David and corporate logos. Although the court acknowledged that the balloon’s imagery bore a resemblance to that of the Nazi regime, they ultimately sided with Waters. The court deemed the concerts a “work of art, ” protecting them under artistic freedom. This subsequent information comes from reports by Deutsche Welle and The Guardian.

As per reports, the court conclusively established that Waters did not glorify or trivialize the heinous acts of the Nazis, nor did he express any empathy for their racist ideology.

The Festhalle in Frankfurt is scheduled to host Roger Waters’ concert. However, local officials are criticized for choosing a venue with a dark history. The Festhalle was once used as a gathering place for Jewish men who were later sent to concentration camps during the November 1938 pogroms.

Come May, Waters is slated to take the stage in Hamburg, Cologne, Berlin, and Munich German cities. Despite the Munich mayor’s reluctance to cancel the performance, the city council intends to use the day of the show to educate citizens on antisemitism and propagate tolerance through various displays.