Roger Waters, the co-founder of the rock band Pink Floyd, is under investigation by German police for wearing a Nazi-style costume during a recent concert in Berlin.
Waters wore the costume during a performance of his song “Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2” at the Mercedes-Benz Arena on May 17. The costume included a long black overcoat with a red armband, and Waters also aimed an imitation machine gun into the audience.
Germany has strict laws against the display of Nazi symbols, and Waters’ costume could be considered a violation of those laws. However, Waters has said that he was wearing the costume as a form of protest against fascism and bigotry.
“The costume was a statement against fascism, injustice and bigotry,” Waters said in a statement. “Attempts to portray those elements as something else are disingenuous and politically motivated.”
Waters is not the first musician to face legal trouble for wearing a Nazi-style costume. In 2017, the German rapper Kollegah was fined €5,000 for wearing a Nazi uniform in a music video.
It is unclear what the outcome of the investigation into Waters will be. However, the fact that he is under investigation is a reminder of the sensitivity of the issue of Nazi symbols in Germany.