Former Pink Floyd member Roger Waters faces possible prosecution after supporting banned Palestine Action

Fox News

4 days ago

Former Pink Floyd songwriter Roger Waters could face prosecution after declaring his support for Palestine Action, a terrorist organization that has been banned by Parliament in the U.K.
Waters posted a video to X on Saturday, in which the Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame inductee praised Palestine Action as a "great organization," while also giving kudos to Bob Vylan, who led the Glastonbury Festival crowd in a chant, shouting, "Death, death to the IDF."
Waters said in his video that he was in his studio and was working on a piece of brown cardboard with a Sharpie.
He then switched the camera from his face to the cardboard.
"This says, 'Roger Waters supports Palestine Action, 5th of July 2025. Parliament has been corrupted by agents of a genocidal foreign power. Stand up and be counted. It's Now,'" Waters read. "This is the moment. I am Spartacus."
"This is Independence Day, July 5th, 2025," he continued. "I declare my independence from the government of the U.K., who've just designated Palestine Action a terrorist, proscribed terrorist organization."
Waters said he supports Palestine Action, calling it a "great organization," and noting that they are "nonviolent" and "absolutely not terrorists in any way."
"They're a nonviolent protest organization protesting the presence in the U.K. of Elbit Systems, who are an Israeli arms manufacturing organization," he said. "All right. So, that's that. I support Palestine Action, and I always will because that is the right thing to do."
He then turned his attention to others who support Palestine, like Bob Vylan, a punk-rap duo who led anti-Israel chants at the Glastonbury Festival late last month.
"We must support our brothers and sisters in Palestine and support them no matter what," Waters said. "So good on you, what was your name? Vylan. Good on you, Vylan, and the rest of you who are standing up to be counted. I love you."
Reuters reported that last week, the U.K. government moved to ban Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws after its activists broke into a Royal Air Force base and damaged two planes in protest of what the organization called Britain's support for Israel.
After a parliamentary vote, the government proscribed the group as a terrorist organization, and the ban went into effect at midnight.
Under U.K. law, offenses include things like inviting support, expressing approval or displaying symbols of a banned group, and violations are punishable by up to 14 years behind bars and/or a fine.
There are currently 81 groups listed under anti-terrorism laws in Britain, including al-Qaeda, ISIS and Hamas.
Parliament's Minister of State, Sir David Hanson, said after the amendment's approval that Palestine Action released an "undercover manual" that encourages its members to create small groups and provides guidance about how to conduct activity against private companies and government buildings.
Hanson also said the manual explains how to operate covertly and evade arrest.
"The Government have assessed that Palestine Action promotes and encourages terrorism. This includes glorification of its attacks involving serious property damage on social media," Hanson said. "I have to say that we would not tolerate this activity from organisations if they were motivated by Islamist or extreme right-wing ideologies, and therefore I cannot tolerate it from Palestine Action."
"By implementing this measure, we will remove Palestine Action's veil of legitimacy, tackle its financial support and degrade its efforts to recruit and radicalise people into committing terrorist activity in its name," he added.
The Campaign Against Antisemitism, which, according to the group's site, is a "volunteer-led charity dedicated to exposing and countering antisemitism through education and zero-tolerance enforcement of law," shared Waters' video on X shortly after it was posted by the former Pink Floyd member.
The group said it reviewed the post, adding that anyone who expresses support for it, contrary to the Terrorism Act 2000, is committing a criminal offense.
They also said they stand ready to privately prosecute offenders when authorities fail to act.
A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism told Fox News Digital, "The suggestion that the Jewish state wields excessive political influence is a breach of the International Definition of Antisemitism."
"Roger Waters has a long history of promoting dangerous conspiratorial tropes," the spokesperson said. "His declaration of support for Palestine Action, now a banned organisation, is his most legally provocative move yet. We expect the police to take action, and if they do not then we will."