Glastonbury organisers appalled at 'death to IDF' chant
Glastonbury organisers say they are appalled by on-stage chanting against the Israeli military during a performance by Punk-rap duo Bob Vylan, saying the music festival is no place for anti-Semitism or incitement to violence.
During their show on Saturday, the duo chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in reference to the Israel Defence Forces, the formal name of the Israeli military.
United Kingdom police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after artists at Glastonbury made anti-Israel comments on stage, without naming Bob Vylan.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England where the festival is held, said on X late on Saturday.
We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon. Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation. pic.twitter.com/w2RQ4LdQf3
— Avon and Somerset Police (@ASPolice) June 28, 2025
Glastonbury Festival criticised the chanting by Bob Vylan, which comprises the guitarist-singer with the stage name Bobby Vylan and a drummer known as Bobbie Vylan.
"Their chants very much crossed a line and we are urgently reminding everyone involved in the production of the festival that there is no place at Glastonbury for anti-Semitism, hate speech or incitement to violence," it said on Sunday.
The Israeli Embassy in the UK condemned the "inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed" on stage at the festival.
Bob Vylan's band members did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Their show on the festival's West Holts stage took place just before controversial Irish rap trio Kneecap played to a huge crowd, leading chants against UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and also taking aim at Israel.
During the show, frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh accused Israel of committing war crimes, saying: "There's no hiding it."
Known by the stage name Mo Chara, he was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Lebanese militant group Hezbollah at a concert.
He has denied the charge.
Senior members of Starmer's government also criticised the chants by Bob Vylan.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said it was appalling that the comments had been made on stage, adding that he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously."
Political commentator Ash Sarkar said it was typical of punk musicians to spark controversy.
"Don't book punk bands if you don't want them to do punk stuff," said Sarkar, a contributing editor to Novara Media, a progressive media organisation.
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4 minutes ago
- CNN
US revokes visas of British rap punk duo Bob Vylan after controversial Glastonbury set
The US State Department has revoked the visas of members of Bob Vylan, a British rap punk group who chanted 'Death to the IDF' at a UK music festival this weekend. 'The (State Department) has revoked the US visas for the members of the Bob Vylan band in light of their hateful tirade at Glastonbury, including leading the crowd in death chants. Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country,' Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said in a post on X Monday. The group was slated to go on a US tour beginning in late October, according to a post on Instagram. The US State Department has instituted an aggressive visa restriction and revocation policy for alleged support of terrorism and anti-Semitism. Bob Vylan's chants at Glastonbury have also prompted outcry among top British officials, and British police are reviewing video footage of their set. Rapper Bobby Vylan had taken to Glastonbury's third-biggest West Holts Stage on Saturday, shouting 'Free, free Palestine,' before leading crowds to chants against the Israeli military. Video showed the rapper shouting into the mic, 'Alright, but have you heard this one though? Death, death to the IDF (Israel Defense Forces).' The artist also performed in front of a screen that displayed a message which read: 'United Nations have called it a genocide. The BBC calls it a 'conflict,'' referring to the UK's public broadcaster that has been showing the festival live. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that 'there is no excuse for this kind of appalling hate speech.' The Israeli Embassy in the UK said it was 'deeply disturbed' by what it called 'inflammatory and hateful' rhetoric at the festival.
CNN
32 minutes ago
- CNN
Bob Vylan: Glastonbury duo's ‘death to IDF' chant called ‘hate speech' by Starmer
Source: CNN British police are reviewing video footage of rap punk duo Bob Vylan's Glastonbury set after one of the artists led chants slammed by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer as 'appalling hate speech.' Rapper Bobby Vylan took to the festival's third-biggest West Holts Stage on Saturday shouting 'Free, free Palestine,' before leading crowds to chants against the Israeli military. Video showed the rapper shouting into the mic, 'Alright, but have you heard this one though? Death, death to the IDF (Israel Defense Forces).' The artist also performed in front of a screen that displayed a message which read: 'United Nations have called it a genocide. The BBC calls it a 'conflict,'' referring to the UK's public broadcaster that has been showing the festival live. Starmer said that 'there is no excuse for this kind of appalling hate speech.' The Israeli Embassy in the UK said it was 'deeply disturbed' by what it called 'inflammatory and hateful' rhetoric at the festival. It said that when chants such as 'Death to the IDF' are said in front of tens of thousands of festivalgoers, 'it raises serious concerns about the normalisation of extremist language and the glorification of violence.' 'We call on Glastonbury Festival organisers, artists, and public leaders in the UK to denounce this rhetoric and reject of all forms of hatred,' it added. Glastonbury Festival said in a statement that it was 'appalled' by Vylan's remarks. 'Their chants very much crossed a line and we are urgently reminding everyone involved in the production of the festival that there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence,' organizers said. A BBC spokesperson told CNN Sunday that some of the comments made during Vylan's performance were 'deeply offensive.' The broadcaster streamed the rapper's set live but said it had no plans to make the performance available on demand through its iPlayer streaming platform. On Monday, the BBC admitted that 'with hindsight' Vylan's performance should have been pulled from air during the performance, saying that the corporation 'respects freedom of expression but stands firmly against incitement to violence.' 'The antisemitic sentiments expressed by Bob Vylan were utterly unacceptable and have no place on our airwaves,' it added. CNN has contacted Vylan for comment. Police are also reviewing video footage of a performance by Irish-language hip-hop trio Kneecap, who performed on the same stage Saturday afternoon. After the performance, Starmer repeated his assertion that the group should not have been allowed to perform at the festival. 'I said that Kneecap should not be given a platform and that goes for any other performers making threats or inciting violence,' Starmer said in a statement. Ahead of the five-day music festival, all eyes were on Kneecap after band member Liam O'Hanna – who performs under the stage name Mo Chara – was charged last month with a terrorism offense following an investigation by London's Metropolitan Police. The charge, which he has denied, relates to a London gig in November 2024 where he allegedly displayed a flag of Hezbollah – a proscribed terrorist organization banned under UK law. Ahead of the festival at Worthy Farm, Starmer said it was not 'appropriate' for the group to perform. Kneecap have been vocal critics of Israel's war in Gaza but have previously said it has never supported Hamas or Hezbollah. During the set, Chara told the crowds that recent events had been 'stressful' but that it was nothing in comparison to 'what the Palestinian people are going through.' Kneecap rapper Naoise Ó Cairealláin, who goes by the stage name Móglaí Bap, hit back at Starmer's comment during Saturday's set: 'The Prime Minister of your country, not mine, said he didn't want us to play, so f**k Keir Starmer.' In reference to his bandmate's forthcoming court date, Bap also said they would 'start a riot outside the courts,' before adding: 'I don't want anybody to start a riot. No riots just love and support, and more importantly support for Palestine.' Police in Somerset, where the festival is held, said the force was 'aware of the comments made by acts' and that 'video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation.' UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting slammed Vylan's performance as 'appalling' in an interview with Sky News on Sunday morning, adding that the BBC and Glastonbury 'have got questions to answer.' But he also told the Israeli embassy to 'get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank,' as settler violence against Palestinians surged in the occupied territory over the last week. This story has been updated with additional details. See Full Web Article
39 minutes ago
Glastonbury mixed pop and politics long before the Bob Vylan controversy
LONDON -- The Glastonbury Festival is making headlines for controversy rather than music. The likes of Olivia Rodrigo, Rod Stewart, Neil Young, Charli XCX, Busta Rhymes and Doechii played to tens of thousands onsite, and millions more on TV, during Britain's biggest and most famous music extravaganza. But it's little-known rap-punk duo Bob Vylan attracting politicians' ire — and a police probe — after leading a chant calling for 'death' to the Israeli military. This isn't the first time politics has collided with pop at the festival. For half a century, Britain's big political and cultural divides have found their way onstage at Glastonbury. The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, to give it its full name, was founded by Michael Eavis in 1970 on his Worthy Farm, 120 miles (some 200 kilometers) southwest of London. It's still run by the 90-year-old farmer and his daughter, Emily Eavis. Originally a hippie happening with a 1 pound ticket price (about 20 pounds or $27 today), Glastonbury has largely shed its counterculture cachet. These days, tickets for the three-day event cost close to 400 pounds. But it remains famous for its eclectic lineup, unique atmosphere and commitment to environmentalism and other progressive causes. This year's event drew about 200,000 people to see almost 4,000 performers on 120 stages, alongside film screenings and live debates on a variety of issues. Glastonbury was founded in a spirit of hippie idealism that has never entirely faded. In the 1980s, the festival donated some of its profits to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, which protested U.S. nuclear weapons on British soil. It continues to support charities including Oxfam and Greenpeace. By the late 1980s, attendees included New Age 'travelers' involved with the U.K.'s unofficial and anarchic rave scene. In 1990, some travelers clashed with security at the site, leading to significant damage and more than 200 arrests. Since then, the festival's security and organization have grown increasingly professional, sparking regret from some fans who feel it has lost its alternative spirit. The 2016 festival coincided with the U.K.'s referendum on European Union membership, and the decision to leave the bloc — which most young people opposed — overshadowed the event. Many performers mentioned Brexit and the dispirited mood, including headliner Adele, who urged people to 'look after each other.' Performers have often vented their opposition to politicians from the stage. In 2019, rapper Stormzy led the crowd in 'F___ Boris' chants aimed at then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson. This year, Irish rappers Kneecap directed the same expletive at Prime Minister Keir Starmer. In contrast, then-Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn was warmly received at the festival in 2017 after doing better than expected against the Conservatives in a general election. Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza has provoked heightened emotions that spilled over onto Glastonbury's stages. Before the event, some politicians called for Glastonbury to cancel a performance by Irish-language hip-hop trio Kneecap, whose pro-Palestinian comments, critics say, have crossed a line into support for violence. Kneecap member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh has been charged under the Terrorism Act with supporting a proscribed organization for allegedly waving a Hezbollah flag at a concert in London in November. He denies the charge, and Kneecap has accused critics of trying to silence the band because of its support for the Palestinian cause. Kneecap's energetic set included plenty of pro-Palestinian comments and criticism of the government. But it was the act that preceded them, Bob Vylan, that caused a furor when a member of the duo led chants of 'death to the IDF,' the Israel Defense Forces. The Avon and Somerset Police force said officers would review video evidence 'to determine whether any offenses may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation. Michael and Emily Eavis said Bob Vylan had 'very much crossed a line.' They said 'there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence.' Britain's publicly funded national broadcaster is under fire for showing Bob Vylan's set, one of dozens of Glastonbury performances it streamed live online. The BBC said Monday that it should have cut off the broadcast after the 'antisemitic' and 'utterly unacceptable' comments, and has removed the performance from its website. But the government is demanding to know what 'due diligence' it did on Bob Vylan before the broadcast. Some media experts say the broadcaster is in a difficult position. Steven Barnett, professor of communications at the University of Westminster, said Britain's influential right-wing press,' including newspapers such as the Daily Mail and The Sun, frequently attack the BBC, 'for both commercial and ideological reasons.'
