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Poland: Pink Floyd co-founder’s concert cancelled amid war comments

Concert organisation and promotion company Live Nation Polska and Tauron Arena Kraków have called off concerts by Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters amid a backlash over comments the artist made about the war in Ukraine.

Mr Waters was scheduled to appear at the venue in the southern Polish city in April 2023, to the displeasure of some Kraków city councillors, who drafted a resolution of the city council branding the Pink Floyd frontman persona non grata.

Pink Floyd's Roger Waters lashed out on Sunday after two upcoming concerts in Krakow in Poland were scrapped following criticism from city councillors over his stance on the war in Ukraine.
➡️ https://t.co/yk1REF3KM1 pic.twitter.com/WHhhjSIDnw

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) September 25, 2022
According to media reports, the musician wrote an open letter to Ukraine’s first lady, Olena Zelenska, earlier this month, in which he urged her to persuade her husband to “seek a different route” in order to “stop the slaughter” in their country.

He also criticised the West for supplying Ukraine with weapons and argued that the United States is interested in prolongation of the war.

In response, Ms Zelenska wrote that it was Russia “that launched aggression against Ukraine,” stressing that “Ukrainians are protecting their country and the future of their children.” As she pointed out, “if the Russian Federation surrenders, the war will end.

Roger Waters has been forced to cancel a concert in Krakow, Poland for his statements on Ukraine.

“Allowing Roger Waters, an open supporter of Putin, to play in Krakow…would be shameful for our city," a city councilor said on social media. "Let him sing in Moscow." pic.twitter.com/LdysWSCNTJ

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) September 25, 2022
Kraków councillors of the country’s ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party proposed a resolution, to be put to a vote on September 28, which in part says: “Mindful of Russia’s criminal attack on Ukraine and of the successive war crimes committed by Russian soldiers that come to light, Kraków councillors express their indignation concerning statements by Mr Roger Waters on the Russian invasion.”

On Saturday, a Tauron Arena representative said the dates had been called off by Mr Waters’ manager with no reason being given, but a statement on the stadium’s website on Sunday said that Live Nation Polska, the concert organiser, and Tauron arena had cancelled the dates.

The musician took to social media on Sunday to deny reports his manager had cancelled the two dates in April and to lambast Łukasz Wantuch, one of the councillors behind the resolution, for urging Krakovians to boycott the concerts.

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