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Ex-Pink Floyd star claims BBC ‘corrupt’ after it rejects his proposal for antisemitism-smear documentary
Roger Waters’ outburst came during an event held to defend Wikileaks founder Julian Assange
October 23, 2020 09:17
Roger Waters’ outburst came during an event held to defend Wikileaks founder Julian Assange
October 23, 2020 09:17Musician Roger Waters has claimed the BBC is “completely corrupt” after it failed to respond to his proposal to make a documentary disputing claims of antisemitism in the Labour Party.
The former Pink Floyd star launched his attack on the corporation during an online discussion event hosted by the anti-Zionist author Miko Peled, held to defend the Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.
Mr Waters also used the event, which featured the journalist John Pilger on its panel, to suggest that a chemical attack by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad against innocent civilians did not happen.
The millionaire guitarist, who has long faced allegations of antisemitism, which he has previously denied, also referenced the July 2019 Panorama documentary screened by BBC1 on the Labour Party.
He said the Panorama, “that John Ware made … about antisemitism in the Labour Party was a shocking put-up job that just floated away on the clouds of rubbish that come out of the Ministry of Truth never to be seen again.”
But pointing to his fellow panellists, Mr Waters added: “We can’t live with the disgusting nature of the deceit – the BBC having become completely corrupt.
“I wrote to the BBC and suggested we make another Panorama programme showing the other side of the argument about alleged antisemitism in the Labour Party.
“They didn’t event answer.”
In further controversial remarks, Mr Waters referred to a cultural centre in New York as “that Jewish place” as he discussed a previous Q&A event with David Petraeus, the retired US army general.
The bass player claimed writer Ray McGovern, who also spoke at Mr Peled’s event, had attempted to join the event but had to lie about his identity to gain admission.
“We’ve got video of Ray going to ask a question of David Petraeus in a Q&A at some place… maybe it was in that Jewish place on 92 Street, it was somewhere up there,” said Mr Waters, in an event that was reported on by the political blog Harry’s Place.
“All he wanted to do was to go in, he had to forge his identity even to get a ticket to get through the door.
“That’s how open they are at 92 Y about answering…”
92nd Street Y describes itself as a “cultural and community centre where people all over the world connect through culture, arts, entertainment and conversation.”
It adds it is “proudly Jewish” and aims to “reach out to people of all ages, races, faiths and backgrounds.”
Mr Waters also discussed claims of a chemical weapons attack in the Syrian city of Douma, which medics and witnesses later said had caused the deaths of up to 50 people.
The attack was blamed on the Syrian army, but President Assad, along with Russia, claimed that footage of the incident had been staged.
Mr Waters said: “We can prove there was no chemical attack in Douma. We can prove Julian Assange never committed a crime of any kind except one minor bail infringement. We can prove this things.”
The event, titled The Trial of Julian Assange, was hosted by American-Israeli activist Mr Peled on October 15.
In September 2018, Mr Peled was at a centre of a storm at the annual Labour Party conference when he suggested people should be free to ask “Holocaust, yes or no” because “there should be no limits on the discussion.”
