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Roger Waters\u2019 pattern of alleged anti-semitic behaviour has been laid bare by former collaborators in a new investigation.<\/p>\n
For years, the Pink Floyd founder has refuted claims that he is an anti-semite, despite dressing in a German uniform that was described as a Nazi SS officer\u00a0on stage in Berlin as recently as May.<\/p>\n
Two former friends and colleagues of the songwriter \u2013 both of whom are Jewish \u2013 have now spoken out about concerns over Waters\u2019 anti-Semitic stance, which has been aired in a new documentary film for Campaign Against Antisemitism.<\/p>\n
Norbert Statchel, who played saxophone as part of Waters\u2019 touring band, claimed he was told by another Jewish bandmate to \u2018keep quiet\u2019 and not to react to Waters\u2019 comments if he wanted to keep his job.<\/p>\n
When his heritage was eventually revealed to Waters, the bassist became \u2018very interested\u2019 before allegedly mocking Statchel\u2019s relatives who died in the Holocaust.<\/p>\n
\u2018Part of me still loves him, part of me is very upset with him for positions that he\u2019s taking in the public that affect me as a Jew,\u2019 shared Bob Ezrin, who co-produced numerous Pink Floyd albums.<\/p>\n
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\u2018I told him a little bit about my family background, that they\u2019re Ashkenazi Jews and Holocaust survivors from Minsk and Poland,\u2019 Statchel said in The Dark Side of Roger Waters.<\/p>\n
He claimed the now 80-year-old smiled in an \u2018awkward way\u2019 at this information and asked if he had other relatives on his father\u2019s side.<\/p>\n
The saxophonist explained that \u2018most were killed\u2019 in the Holocaust, resulting in an uncomfortable moment with Waters attempting to impersonate a \u2018Polish peasant\u2019.<\/p>\n
Waters said he could \u2018help [Statchel] meet his dead grandmother\u2019 and began a \u2018slapstick, insulting\u2019 imitation of an \u2018old hag\u2019.<\/p>\n
Statchel added: \u2018He knew I wouldn\u2019t challenge him on it because I wanted his money and the gig, it was a power thing that\u2019s all. An arrogance thing, maybe an evil thing.\u2019<\/p>\n
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Until 2013, a pig with the slur \u2018dirty k**e\u2019 and Star of David symbols flew above concerts, with the documentary revealing emails allegedly from Waters, discussing the offensive balloon.<\/p>\n
\u2018He\u2019s a bully, Roger can be a bully, he\u2019s been a bully forever \u2013 for as long as I\u2019ve known him,\u2019 shared Ezrin.<\/p>\n
In May, the German police initiated a criminal investigation into Waters\u2019 on-stage costume which seemingly mimicked a Nazi uniform.<\/p>\n
The outfit, which featured crossed hammer imagery, was the same worn by the fictitious neo-Nazi organisation in the 1982 film Pink Floyd: The Wall.<\/p>\n
Erzin, who co-produced The Wall album, claimed Waters made up and performed for him a ditty about Pink Floyd\u2019s agent at the time Bryan Morrison, who was also Jewish.<\/p>\n
\u2018The last line of the couplet was \u201cbecause Morry is a f**king Jew\u201d, it was my first inclination that there may be some antisemitism under the surface,\u2019 revealed Ezrin.<\/p>\n
The Dark Side of Roger Waters accuses the former Pink Floyd bassist of numerous micro-aggressions and anti-Semitic tropes utilised throughout his career.<\/p>\n
These are some of the accusations levied at him by his former colleagues:<\/p>\n
\u2018I\u2019m embarrassed to say I was so shocked I didn\u2019t say anything, I had no idea what was behind that.\u2019<\/p>\n
Waters has denied accusations that he is an anti-Semite over the years, with Ezrin explaining he doesn\u2019t think the songwriter believes he is one.<\/p>\n
This isn\u2019t the first time those close to the Pink Floyd member have spoken out against him, with guitarist David Gilmour\u2019s wife Polly Samson calling him \u2018anti-Semitic to [his] rotten core.\u2019<\/p>\n
During one of his concerts, Waters went on a rant about Polly \u2013 whose Jewish father fled Nazi Germany \u2013 and declared it would be awful to wake up next to her.<\/p>\n
Statchel added that he was told by someone who goes \u2018way back\u2019 with Waters that \u2018Roger has very strong opinions about Jewishness or people that claim to be Jewish.\u2019<\/p>\n
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When asked directly if he believes Waters is anti-Semitic, Statchel said: \u2018I personally do after these things that I heard and all these little things that I experienced. What else would I call it?\u2019<\/p>\n
Ezrin said: \u2018Do I consider him to be an active anti-Semite and does he believe he\u2019s an anti-Semite? I\u2019ll bet you dollars for doughnuts he does not and he\u2019ll be the first person to say \u201cI\u2019m not anti-anything, I\u2019m in favour of everyone\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u2018But as a person with a powerful public platform, he has a responsibility to understand that what he does affects other people.<\/p>\n
\u2018He may not be one but he walks like one, he quacks like one, he swims like one, so from my point of view he\u2019s functionally a duck.\u2019<\/p>\n