Roger Waters has a view of Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine that has earned him applause from the highest Russian government circles. In the West, on the other hand, the statements made by the Pink Floyd co-founder are viewed critically. Now there are apparently discussions about two concerts in Poland.
Will Roger Waters perform in Poland next year or not? There is currently confusion about two planned concerts in Kraków. Initially, Polish media, citing the local organizer, reported that the co-founder of the cult band Pink Floyd had canceled the dates in the Eastern European country. At least that's what the Waters manager decided. The assumed background: earlier statements regarding the Ukraine war and the subsequent protests of many Eastern Europeans.
All nonsense, however, wrote Waters on Facebook. He has not canceled any concerts at all and wants to continue playing there. However, a city councilor in Kraków wanted to declare him an "undesirable person". He called on the city's residents to boycott Waters and not buy tickets. Rather, it would be a "sad loss" for him if the concerts were canceled. It is about "a draconian censorship" of his work. Every individual would be deprived of the opportunity to form an opinion.
However, the fact that the concerts planned for April 21 and 22, 2023 in Poland have also disappeared from the official Waters website causes confusion. In an interview with the US television channel CNN, Waters' statements caused great outrage in the western community. Among other things, he directly attacked US President Joe Biden, who he believed would "stoke the fire in Ukraine". That is a big crime. The US would only prolong the war. If Biden wanted it, a war would be "over tomorrow".
A storm of indignation then spread, especially in large parts of Eastern Europe, including Poland. Waters would spread Kremlin propaganda and not understand that Russia's President Vladimir Putin was the sole aggressor. In Russia, however, the musician's statements caused applause. For example, ex-president and Putin confidante Dmitry Medvedev wrote on the social network VKontakte that there were still "good people in the West." He also underscored his post with the saying "Pink Floyd forever" with the classic "Wish You Were Here" penned by Waters.
