Former Pantera singer Phil Anselmo gives Nazi salute and ‘white power’ shout-out at star-studded concert

The former frontman of influential heavy metal band Pantera gave a Nazi-style salute on stage at a recent star-studded Los Angeles charity concert and appeared to shout “White Power!”

A YouTube clip posted by an audience member showed singer Phil Anselmo raising his arm before seemingly yelling the remark.

Anselmo, who has refused to apologise, was standing on a mostly empty stage at the end of a January 22 concert raising money for cancer research.

He had been performing Pantera covers with major stars including Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, who is known for left-leaning politics, and Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo.

Anselmo justified himself in the comments section on YouTube, saying the gesture was an inside joke after the band members had been drinking white wine.

“Some of y’all need to thicken up your skin,” he wrote, suggesting that critics should instead focus on those who have “a more realistic agenda.”