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July 14, 2017 1:53 pm
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Miami Beach Teens Cancel Participation in Roger Waters’ Concert Due to Antisemitism Allegations Against Rock Star

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avatar by Shiryn Ghermezian

Roger Waters. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

A group of teenagers from Miami Beach, Florida cancelled their participation in former Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters’ concert on Thursday following accusations of antisemitism against the musician, the Miami Herald reported.

Twelve members of two youth clubs — the Ayuda Miami’s Teens Are Life Long Learners (T.A.L.L.) program and the Teen Club Miami Beach — were picked by Rogers to perform a song with him on stage, have a dress rehearsal with his band, receive autographed photos and sit in the orchestra pit during the concert. However on Thursday afternoon, hours before the concert was scheduled to take place at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Miami Beach city spokesperson Melissa Berthier released a statement saying the teenagers had receded their participation in the event. She said,“Miami Beach is a culturally diverse community and does not tolerate any form of hate.”

Her comments came mere hours after the Greater Miami Jewish Federation accused Rogers of antisemitism, referring to his vocal anti-Israel views and avid support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. The Jewish Federation posted a message on its website saying, “Antisemitism and hatred are not welcome in Miami. Mr. Waters, your vile messages of antisemitism, anti-Zionism and hatred are not welcome in this community. We in Miami are better than that!”

The federation also noted, “Rogers’ disorientations and outright lies about Israel and its policies are outrageous and irrational. And his obsessive fixation on Israel betrays a bigotry that goes far beyond criticism of a nation’s policies.”

The county of Miami-Dade owns the arena, according to the Miami Herald, and the Greater Miami Jewish Federation published a statement from its mayor, Carlos Gimenez, in which he urged local residents to “uphold the values we hold dear and to reject antisemitism in all its forms, not only because it would offend our Jewish residents, but because it would offend all Miamians.”

He added, “We are a welcoming and tolerant community with thousands of residents of the Jewish faith…antisemitic remarks should never be tolerated.”

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