- Music icon Roger Waters is facing a legal battle over comments he made about journalist John Ware. A British judge ruled that Waters defamed Ware during an appearance on Al Jazeera’s “The Stream.”
- The London High Court determined that Waters’ comments were statements of fact and not opinion, rejecting his defense that his remarks were critiques of Israeli forces rather than personal attacks.
- Following the court’s ruling, Waters will either have to settle the case or proceed to trial, which could have significant implications for free speech, journalism, and his career.
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Music icon Roger Waters is facing a legal battle over comments he made about a journalist. According to The Independent, a British judge ruled Tuesday that the former Pink Floyd frontman defamed filmmaker John Ware during an appearance on Al Jazeera’s “The Stream.”
Ware, a Jewish British journalist, filed a libel lawsuit after Waters called him a “lying, conniving Zionist mouthpiece” and accused him of “cheerleading the genocide of Palestinians.” The remarks came in response to Ware’s documentary, “The Dark Side of Roger Waters,” which explores allegations of antisemitism against the musician.
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In Tuesday’s preliminary hearing, the London High Court determined that Waters’ comments were statements of fact, not opinion. The ruling rejected Waters’ defense that his remarks were critiques of Israeli forces rather than personal attacks. Under common law, the court found the statements defamatory.
Waters’ history of controversy
Allegations of antisemitism against Waters date back to 2011 when he announced in a Guardian op-ed that he was joining the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. The global campaign seeks to pressure Israel to change its policies regarding Palestinians.
In 2013, Waters wrote an open letter to musicians urging them to refuse to perform in Israel. His outspoken views have led to bans, protests, and professional consequences.
Most recently, in January 2024, music rights company BMG severed ties with Waters. According to Variety, the decision followed Waters’ inflammatory remarks about Israel and Ukraine.
What happens next?
Following the court’s ruling, Waters must either settle the case or proceed to trial. If the lawsuit moves forward, it could have significant implications for free speech, journalism and his career.
[KENNEDY FELTON]
MUSIC ICON ROGER WATERS IS FACING A LEGAL BATTLE AFTER ANTISEMITIC COMMENTS HE MADE ABOUT A JOURNALIST RESULTED IN A LIBEL SUIT.
A JUDGE RULED TUESDAY THAT THE FORMER PINK FLOYD FRONTMAN DEFAMED JEWISH BRITISH FILMMAKER JOHN WARE DURING AN APPEARANCE ON “AL JAZEERA’S” PROGRAM – “THE STREAM.”
“The Israeli government sees me as an existential threat to their settler colonies racist apartheid regime.”
THAT CLIP COMES FROM WARE’S DOCUMENTARY “THE DARK SIDE OF ROGER WATERS” – RELEASED IN SEPTEMBER OF 20-23. THE FILM WAS PRODUCED BY THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST ANTISEMITISM AND EXAMINES ALLEGATIONS *OF ANTISEMITISM AGAINST WATERS. IN RESPONSE TO THE DOCUMENTARY – HE REFERRED TO WARE AS A “LYING.. CONNIVING… ZIONIST MOUTHPIECE” AND ACCUSED HIM OF QUOTE – “CHEERLEADING THE GENOCIDE OF PALESTINIANS.”
IN TUESDAY’S PRELIMINARY HEARING… THE LONDON HIGH COURT RULED THAT WATERS’ COMMENTS WERE STATEMENTS OF FACT.. RATHER THAN OPINION – REJECTING HIS DEFENSE THAT HE WAS EXPRESSING A VIEW ON THE CONDUCT OF ISRAELI FORCES. ULTIMATELY – THE COURT DETERMINED HIS REMARKS WERE DEFAMATORY UNDER COMMON LAW.
ALLEGATIONS OF ANTISEMITISM FROM WATERS DATE BACK TO 20-11… WHEN HE ANNOUNCED IN A GUARDIAN OP-ED THAT HE WAS JOINING THE “BOYCOTT.. DIVESTMENT.. AND SANCTIONS” MOVEMENT – A GLOBAL CAMPAIGN AIMED AT PRESSURING ISRAEL TO CHANGE ITS POLICIES TOWARD PALESTINIANS.
TWO YEARS LATER IN 20-13… HE PENNED AN OPEN LETTER TO MUSICIANS.. URGING THEM TO REFUSE TO PERFORM IN ISRAEL. MORE RECENTLY – LAST JANUARY MUSIC RIGHTS COMPANY B-M-G PARTED WAYS WITH WATERS… CITING HIS CONTROVERSIAL COMMENTS ABOUT ISRAEL AND UKRAINE – AS REPORTED BY VARIETY.
WITH THIS LATEST LEGAL RULING.. WATERS WILL EITHER HAVE TO SETTLE OR TAKE THE CASE TO TRIAL. AL JAZEERA WAS ALSO NAMED IN THE COMPLAINT AS THE ORIGINAL REMARKS ABOUT WARE WERE MADE ON ITS PROGRAM.
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