What did Roger Waters say? Antisemitism controversy explained as concerning emails surface online

Roger Waters. (Photo via @SaraReyi/X)
Roger Waters (Photo via @SaraReyi/X)

English musician Roger Waters has raised eyebrows once again after being accused of sending an antisemitic email with text containing remarks like "dirty k***" and "Jew food."

On September 27, the London-based organization Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) released a 37-minute documentary titled The Dark Side of Roger Waters, about an investigation, its findings, and emails allegedly written by the 80-year-old star where he asked his crew if they could scribe "dirty k---" on an inflatable pig.

Additionally, interviews with former music colleagues have been made public. These individuals claim that Waters made fun of the grandmother of one of his former band members who passed away in the Holocaust and asked that vegetarian cuisine - which he referred to as "Jew food" - be removed.

Screenshot of Roger Waters' alleged email (Photo via @antisemitism/X)
Screenshot of Roger Waters' alleged email (Photo via @antisemitism/X)

Roger Waters reportedly recommended "bombing" audiences with confetti in the shapes of swastikas, Stars of David, and dollar signs in one email. As per The New York Post, he wrote in one email dated March 25, 2010.

"Hey Guys, Who’s going to make pig? Would it work to go out on the stuka truss? I imagine it black with crossed hammers logo as 1980, but covered with symbols from Good by blue sky,’crosses, stars of david( that’s king david not david gilmour) crescent and star, dollar signs, shell oil shell, etc and epithets,’my pig right or wrong’ ‘f–k you’ ‘no f–k you’ ‘dirty k–e’ ‘follow the money’ ‘Scum?’ etc. Roger.”

Roger Waters' former colleague recalls his tantrums and controversial remarks over vegetarian food

As per multiple news outlets, the 37-minute documentary unearthing Roger Waters' behavior included interviews with his one-time saxophonist Norbert Stachel. In the video, he recalled dinner after a tour in Lebanon, where the 80-year-old singer said:

"Where’s the meat? What’s with this? This is Jew food! What’s with the Jew food! Take away the Jew food!' And I’m just sitting there: ‘Oh, boy,’ you know, tongue-tied again and kind of in a panic.”

Reportedly, Waters mocked Stachel's grandmother, who died in the Holocaust. The interviews also contained a conversation with Bob Ezrin, who produced Pink Floyd's 1979 album The Wall. He recalled Waters singing him an impromptu song about Bryan Morrison, his then-agent.

“I can’t remember the exact circumstance, but something like, you know … the last line of the couplet was ‘cos Morry is a f–king Jew.' It was my first inclination that there may be some antisemitism under the surface.”

A statement issued by the chief executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism, Gideon Falter read:

“It is hard to imagine a rockstar emblazoning the N-word above their concerts, but Mr. Waters demanded that his crew do exactly that with the K-word. Not only that, but he seems to have spent time humiliating and harassing his Jewish staff. One cannot help but watch this film and wonder what kind of person uses their power to this effect. Is Roger Waters an antisemite? Now people can make up their own minds.”

In the past, Roger Waters called claims that he is anti-Semitic "bull***" and "vicious lies." He said that the red patch on his trench coat with two hammers on it has been a "piece of theater" for "more than 40 f***ing years." In addition, the musician stated that he was only five years old in 1944 when his father Eric died battling the Nazis in North Africa.

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