Roger Waters blames Israeli lobbies for trying to cancel Latin America tour
Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters accused Israeli lobbies of organizing hotel boycotts and political pressure to derail his Latin American tour over his human rights stance.
English singer-songwriter Roger Waters has accused influential Israeli lobbies of mounting coordinated efforts to scuttle his Latin American tour, pointing to intense political and humanitarian pressures surrounding his vocal advocacy for Palestinians. In an interview with TRT World conducted in the Chilean capital of Santiago, the Pink Floyd co-founder detailed what he described as a smear campaign orchestrated to silence his human rights stance amidst the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The tour friction unfolded across multiple South American stops. According to TRT World, Waters stated that during his performances in Argentina, Israeli lobbies successfully co-opted hotels in both Buenos Aires and Montevideo to organise a boycott based on what he termed malicious falsehoods. Due to these hotel blockades, Waters reportedly stayed in Brazil's financial capital, Sao Paulo, after being informed that no lodging remained available in Argentina. Local newspapers in Argentina reported that lawyer Carlos Broitman filed a federal court complaint against Waters alleging the spread of hate, while in Uruguay, centre-right lawmaker Felipe Schipani petitioned the Montevideo government to strip Waters of a Distinguished Visitor title originally bestowed upon him. Further condemnation came from the Central Israelite Committee and the Jewish NGO B'Nai B'rith, which accused Waters of inciting hatred against Jewish people.
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Amidst the local pushback, institutional solidarity emerged from regional labour and cultural groups. The Latin American Confederation of Workers offered rooms to Waters and his band members, while the Santiago-based soccer club Club Deportivo Palestino—founded by Chile's Palestinian diaspora—hosted Waters and thanked him for giving their community a voice. During his stay in Uruguay, Waters also met with former leftist president Jose Mujica.
Waters has consistently rejected allegations of anti-Semitism, linking the criticism directly to his public defence of Palestinian rights and his longstanding cultural boycott of Israel. Speaking with TRT World, he compared the tactics used against him to propaganda strategies from historical playbooks, maintaining that his statements focus entirely on human rights abuses. This perspective echoes broader discussions on political speech and advocacy, as noted in analyses examining the intersection of art and geopolitics in publications like the Oman Observer.
| Country / City | Entity / Individual | Action / Response |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina (Buenos Aires) | Carlos Broitman | Filed a complaint at a federal court claiming Waters spread hate. |
| Uruguay (Montevideo) | Felipe Schipani | Called on the government to remove Waters' Distinguished Visitor title. |
| Uruguay (Montevideo) | Central Israelite Committee & B'Nai B'rith | Claimed Waters spread hatred against Jewish people. |
| Uruguay (Montevideo) | Jose Mujica | Met with Waters during his visit. |
| Chile (Santiago) | Club Deportivo Palestino | Hosted Waters and thanked him for solidarity with Palestine. |
The broader debate over artistic freedom and political speech has also played out in academic spaces and international media. Waters previously welcomed legal challenges surrounding pro-Palestinian events at institutions like the University of Massachusetts Amherst, arguing that such disputes help draw public attention to the predicament of Palestinians. Analyses in the Oman Observer note that Waters has consistently faced similar industry pressure and venue resistance in European nations, particularly in Germany, where he encountered difficulties with local media and public appearances due to the same allegations of anti-Semitism that he has repeatedly denied.
Supporters and cultural commentators emphasize that the musician's actions form part of a wider movement within the arts. Alongside a network of hundreds of signatories advocating for cultural boycotts through platforms like Musicians for Palestine, Waters continues to wear the Palestinian keffiyeh on stage and refuse performances in Israel.
