Billy Joel's ex-wife and daughter have saluted the rocker for taking a stand against the neo-Nazi movement at a gig in New York on Monday night (21Aug17).

The We Didn't Start the Fire singer took to the stage for an encore at Madison Square Garden wearing two Star of David symbols pinned to the breast and back of his suit jacket.

Joel's parents were Jewish and his symbolic gesture referenced those who were targeted by the Nazis throughout Europe during World War Two. The Star of David was pinned to Jews' clothing as they were shipped off to concentration camps.

The singer's ex-wife Christie Brinkley was impressed by her former husband's protest, and posting an image of him at the gig on Instagram, she wrote: "On the day of the solar eclipse, a yellow star appeared on the jacket of another kind of star with a clinched fist that seemed to be gripping painful - no excruciating - memories of loved ones who wore that star to their death.

"May that star also remind you today of the gold stars pinned to the jackets of soldiers for their bravery and valor for fighting an evil so hideous even the gold stars in the sky were afraid to shine. Thank you, Billy, for reminding people what was - so it may never ever be again."

Joel also displayed images of recently ousted White House officials, like Steve Bannon and ex-press secretary Sean Spicer, on a big screen as he performed Scandal's 1982 anthem Goodbye to You with the band's leader Patty Smyth.

Alexa Ray Joel, who joined her mum in the audience at the show, was also a big fan of her father's protest, writing: "Now, this is how you do it. That’s my pop!!! Proud Jewish New Yorker through and through!!!!! Represent! Stand strong!"

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