Waters says Nazi outfit at Berlin concert was anti-fascist

BERLIN/LONDON — Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters said he was opposing fascism and bigotry when he wore a Nazistyle uniform on stage at a concert in Berlin that led German police to launch an investigation into the British musician.

The 79-year-old said aspects of his performance at Berlin’s Mercedes-benz Arena that have been questioned were “quite clearly” a statement against fascism, injustice and bigotry.

“Attempts to portray those elements as something else are disingenuous and politically motivated,” he tweeted.

Images from a May 17 concert showed the famed singer and bass player in a long black trench coat with bright red arm bands, aiming an imitation machine gun into the audience.

The outfit included a swastika-like emblem made of two crossed hammers - iconography that also appeared on costumes in a film based on Pink Floyd’s hit 1979 album “The Wall”, a critique of fascism.

Waters said the depiction of “an unhinged fascist demagogue” had been a feature of his shows since “The Wall”. Reuters