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Roger Waters ‘cancels Poland concerts’ amid backlash to Ukraine comments

Venue said Pink Floyd co-founder had withdrawn gigs ‘without giving any reason’

Isobel Lewis
Sunday 25 September 2022 11:01 BST
Roger Waters says David Gilmour 'thinks he owns Pink Floyd'
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Roger Waters has reportedly cancelled concerts planned in Poland amid outrage over his stance on Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Earlier this month, the Pink Floyd co-founder penned an open letter to Ukraine’s first lady Olena Zelenska in which he blamed “extreme nationalists” for having “set your country on the path to this disastrous war”.

Waters has previously branded Joe Biden a “war criminal” for “fuelling the fire in the Ukraine”.

On Saturday (24 September), Polish media reported that Waters’ forthcoming concerts at the Tauron Arena in Krakow in April would no longer be taking place.

Venue official Lukasz Pytko said that Waters’ manager had “decided to withdraw” the shows “without giving any reason”.

However, Waters has since issued a statement claiming that neither he or his management were responsible for the shows being pulled.

The website for Waters’ This Is Not a Drill concert tour no longer lists the previously scheduled Krakow concerts.

City councillors in Krakow were expected to vote next week on a proposal to name Waters as a persona non grata after expressing “indignation” over the musician's stance on the war in Ukraine.

The 79-year-old recently suggested that Ukraine should stop fighting back against Russia. He has also criticized Nato, accusing it of provoking Russia.

Additional reporting by Associated Press.

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