Poland: Roger Waters concerts canceled in Krakow, due to his statements about the war in Ukraine

Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters’ concerts in Krakow have been canceled, organizers announced today, after the artist’s comments about the war in Ukraine sparked a backlash.

Waters was due to appear in Krakow next April. But the open letter which, according to Polish media, he addressed to Ukraine’s first lady Olena Zelenska, urging her to ask her husband to choose “a different path” and criticizing the West for arming Kyiv, caused an uproar.

“Live Nation Polska and Tauron Arera Krakow have canceled the Roger Waters concert,” the organizers said in a statement on the venue’s website. They gave no explanation for the reasons for the cancellation.

On Saturday, state news agency PAP reported that a Tauron Arena spokesman said the concert had been canceled by Waters’ manager, without elaborating why.

City councilors in Krakow are expected to approve a resolution on Wednesday to label the musician an “undesirable person” in their city.

In an online post, Waters said it was not true that he or his manager canceled the concerts and criticized City Councilman Lucas Vadus for the resolution he is promoting. “Lukas Vadus threatened to call a meeting to have the city council make me a person unwelcome because of my public efforts to encourage all involved in the destructive war in Ukraine and especially the US and Russian governments to work for a negotiated peace “, he wrote on Facebook. “If Mr. Lukas Vadus succeeds in his purpose and my concerts in Krakow are cancelled, it will be a sad loss for me because I was looking forward to sharing the message of love with the people of Poland,” he added.

Vadus responded this morning via Facebook that he is in Ukraine and will comment on Waters’ post in the evening.