But the venue canceled the show after Waters exchanged with Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska in recent weeks. Waters faces possible rebuke from the Krakow City Council after members of the Krakow City Council submitted a proposal to declare Persona Non Grata.
Waters was a frequent speaker on foreign policy issues, No stranger to controversy because of itsaid on Saturday statement The cancellation of his Polish show “would be a sad loss for me”.
In early September, Waters Open letter to ZelenskaWife of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. In it, Waters professed her incredulity about her claims to the BBC that more aid to Ukraine would end the war sooner.
“Does it also depend on the meaning of the words ‘aid to Ukraine’? Does the word ‘aid to Ukraine’ mean that the West continues to arm the Kyiv government’s forces?” If so, you may be making a tragic mistake,” he wrote.
Waters went on to accuse the United States of having a vested interest in prolonging the war, saying that Ukraine’s “extreme nationalists” have been “very clearly articulated over the years by your Russian neighbors.” It violated the red line that has been set in the Commonwealth,” a statement that many interpreted as victim-blaming, putting Ukraine “on the road to this disastrous war.”
Zelenska responded on Twitter Waters ‘What to Ask’ [Russian President Vladimir Putin] for peace. Not Ukraine. “
water regularly support inflammatory political views. recently, video called President Biden a “war criminal” shown during his concert.
By contrast, Pink Floyd, whose acrimonious breakup Waters left in the mid-1980s, released a single in support of Ukraine this year. “Hey hey, rise up” First new song in over 20 years. The song features Ukrainian vocalist Andriy Khlyvnyuk singing the Ukrainian national anthem, and proceeds from its sale went to humanitarian aid.
Poland has been one of the strongest defenders of Ukraine, which borders Ukraine since the Russian invasion.It took by far the largest Number of Ukrainian refugees in Europe pledged or donated aid to Kyiv At a level that matches, and in some cases exceeds, the pledges of countries with much stronger economies.
Entertainment platform on Sunday Live Nation Polska and concert venues In a joint statement, Tauron Arena Krakow said it had “cancelled the Roger Waters concert”. They did not give a reason, but some Polish media reported: Waters’ manager decided to withdrawWaters denied these rumors in a statement Sunday.
Krakow City Council this week Declare Waters Persona Non Grata, reported the Associated Press. The motion was introduced by Councilor Lukasz Wantuch. According to Deutsche Wellepreviously wrote on social media that if Waters were allowed to perform there, “it would be a disgrace to our city.” was reportedly added.
Mr. Onetouch did not respond to a request for comment from The Washington Post early Monday.
“If Mr. Lukasz Wantow achieves his goal and his upcoming concert in Krakow is cancelled, it will be a sad loss for me,” Waters said in a statement. “I was looking forward to sharing a message of love with the people of Poland. This is what I have done on many tours in my career that has lasted over 50 years.”