Jewish protesters raise Israeli flag at Roger Waters’ Frankfurt concert

City tried but was unable to cancel singer’s concert over his antisemitism

Jewish protesters interrupted Roger Waters’ concert in Frankfurt on Sunday by waving Israeli flags and singing “Am Israel Chai” (the people of Israel live), according to a video posted by Twitter user Jewish Defense Network.

The video shows one protester rushing onto the stage with an Israeli flag as security guards rush in to block 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 to protest Waters’ antisemitism.

Waters, who has been accused of antisemitism on many occasions and supports BDS, sparked outrage last week after he performed in a concert dressed like a Nazi 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 or images that evoke Nazi insignia are banned in the country.

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.”

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

Reports said that Jewish actions before the concert would include reading aloud the names of 600 Jews who were rounded up in Festhalle.

A joint Jewish-Christian prayer in memory of Holocaust victims was also scheduled, to be 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 David Draiman who sings with Disturbed and his own former fellow Pink Floyd bandmate David Gilmour.