Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters has defended wearing a Nazi-style uniform during a performance in Germany.
Images have emerged of Waters's performance at Berlin's Mercedes Benz Arena on May 17, sparking a German police investigation.
In a statement shared on Twitter, Waters described the "bad faith" attacks as being from people who want to "to smear and silence me because they disagree with my political views and moral principles."
"The elements of my performance that have been questioned are quite clearly a statement in opposition to fascism, injustice and bigotry in all its forms," he said.
"Attempts to portray those elements as something else are disingenuous and politically motivated.
"The depiction of an unhinged fascist demagogue has been a feature of my show since Pink Floyd's 'The Wall' in 1980."
Images from the concert showed Waters in a long back trench coat with bright read arm bands, aiming an imitation machine-gun into the audience. The outfit included a swastika-like emblem made of two crossed hammers.
Public display of Nazi symbols, flags and uniforms are prohibited in Germany, punishable by fine or up to three years prison.
Waters is being investigated under a separate law on suspicion of "incitement of the people", police said.
The costume worn by Waters "is deemed capable of violating the dignity of the victims, as well as approving, glorifying or justifying the violent and arbitrary rule of the Nazi regime in a way that disrupts public peace," a police spokesperson said.
Other German cities including Munich, Frankfurt and Cologne tried to cancel Waters' concerts after Jewish groups, including the Central Council of Jews, accused him of anti-Semitism.
British member of parliament Christian Wakeford has also called for Waters's Manchester show to be cancelled.
Last year, concerts in Poland were cancelled over comments about the war on Ukraine.
Germany's official in charge of fighting anti-Semitism, Felix Klein, told the Funke media group previous legal proceedings had "gone in Waters's favour, even though he spreads anti-Semitism and allegedly incites hatred."
Mr Klein called on authorities to be "vigilant" following the incident.
"Concert organisers should consider whether they want to offer conspiracy theorists a platform," he said.
Fans defend costume
Fans and other social media users said Waters had worn the same costume in past concerts.
"He's clearly depicting Pink from The Wall (1982), famously played by Bob Geldof, who descends into a drug-addled fascist fantasy in a film that CONDEMNS fascism. Absurd," podcast host Joseph Attard wrote on Twitter.
"Nobody actually believes Roger Waters dressed as a Nazi at a concert," another fan Caitlin Johnstone wrote.
"Everyone knows it's from The Wall. Anyone who didn't know this was corrected immediately and knows it now. They're just pretending they don't know this to advance a political agenda."
Waters's history of controversy
Waters is a well-known pro-Palestinian activist who has been accused of holding anti-Jewish views.
He has floated an inflatable pig emblazoned with the Star of David at his concerts.
In February this year, Waters addressed the UN Security Council at Russia's invitation, condemning Moscow's invasion of Ukraine as illegal but added he believed it was not unprovoked.
He condemned "the provocateurs in the strongest possible terms" without giving specifics, but called for a ceasefire.
ABC/wires
