The concerts of Roger Waters, co-founder of the popular band Pink Floyd, which were supposed to be held in Poland, were canceled, which were preceded by discussions and criticism due to the musician's stance on the war in Ukraine.
Concert promoter "Live Nation Poland" confirmed the cancellation, but did not give a reason. An official of Tauron Arena in Krakow, where Waters was supposed to hold two concerts in April next year, said that there will be no performance.
The controversy was triggered by a letter that Waters wrote in early September to the wife of the Ukrainian president, Olena Zelenska. In the letter, he stated, among other things, that "extreme nationalists led Ukraine into a catastrophic war," writes the BBC.
Without mentioning Russia's responsibility for the invasion, Waters accused the Ukrainian president of "failing to fulfill his pre-election promises to bring peace to the Donbass region."
The wife of the Ukrainian president responded on Twitter, writing that it was Russia that invaded Ukraine and is destroying its cities and killing civilians.
"Roger Waters should ask the president of another country for peace," she wrote, reports the BBC.
Waters' letter led to a decision by the Krakow city council to call on people to boycott his concerts.
City officials drafted a decision to declare Waters persona non grata, which should be voted on at the Sept. 28 meeting.
"Given Russia's criminal attack on Ukraine as well as the increasing number of war crimes committed by Russian soldiers, officials express outrage at Mr. Waters' theses and statements regarding Russia's invasion of Ukraine," the decision said.
Waters is currently on tour in the United States, and on Facebook denied earlier media reports that he and his management had canceled concerts. He also accused the city council of "censoring" his work.
The Polish government has been an ally of Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion of that country. She urged the European Union to impose tougher sanctions on Russia over the attack, which began on February 24.
The Polish government has decided to open its borders to millions of Ukrainians fleeing the war.
Bonus video:
