Simon Wiesenthal Center Demands Citibank Stop Underwriting Roger Waters’ Anti-Semitic Mexico Tour

November 26, 2018

Citibank Banamex should have followed American Express’ cancellation of support for Latin American Tour The Simon Wiesenthal Center is demanding that Citibank pull its sponsorship of anti-Semite Rogers Waters’ concert tour in Mexico. The Wiesenthal Center had contacted Citibanamex urging that they cancel their financial support for Waters, an notorious anti-Semite. Having received no response from Citibanamex the Center is demanding action from the global corporate headquarters: “In 2018 Jews in the Americas and Europe have to deal with surging and even deadly anti-Semitism. Against this backdrop it is inconceivable that a global corporate giant would be a financial enabler of a musician whose concerts’ trademark is a giant floating pig with a star of David and who daily demeans the largest Jewish community in the world-the Jewish state of Israel,” said Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Wiesenthal Center Associate Dean and Director, Global Social Action Agenda. “We expect Citibank to be responsive to our community’s justified concerns and fears. At the minimum Citibank should suspend all future sponsorship of this bigot.” Earlier this month, the Simon Wiesenthal Center contacted sponsors of the Latin America tour to follow American Express, in withdrawing sponsorship. In a letter addressed to Entel, Cencosud, Grupo Aval, Bac Credomatic y Citibanamex, Drs. Shimon Samuels and Ariel Gelblung, Director for International Relations and Latin American Representative respectively, wrote that due to Waters' use of his shows to sow a message of hatred and discrimination and to promote a programme - rendered illegitimate in numerous international jurisdictions - Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) that emulates the behavior of the Nazis in their campaign "Do not buy from the Jews". They concluded: "We urge you to demonstrate your disgust for the abuse of music to spread bigotry across Latin America. Withdraw your support and sponsorship of Roger Waters in order not be associated with financiers of hate and potential violence." For more information, please contact the Center's Communications Department, 310-553-9036. join the Center on Facebook, www.facebook.com/simonwiesenthalcenter, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updates sent direct to your Twitter feed. The Simon Wiesenthal Center is one of the largest international Jewish human rights organizations with over 400,000 member families in the United States. It is an NGO at international agencies including the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the OAS, the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament (Parlatino). ###