Glastonbury Festival organisers ‘appalled' by Bobby Vylan anti-IDF chants
Glastonbury Festival has said it is "appalled" by the statements made by Bobby Vylan, of punk duo Bob Vylan, during their set on Saturday.
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Irish Post
3 hours ago
- Irish Post
'F*** Kier Starmer': Kneecap hit back at British Prime Minister during Glastonbury set
BELFAST rap group Kneecap led chants of 'F*** Kier Starmer' during their Glastonbury set days after the British Prime Minister said the band should not perform at the festival. Kneecap's set was not shown live by the BBC, who instead released an edited version of the performance on iPlayer later on Saturday. However, footage from the set was shared online, with one person who streamed the performance live getting 1.7m likes. Meanwhile, Avon and Somerset Police have said they are assessing videos of performances from the festival, with punk duo Bob Vylan leading chants in support of Palestine and criticising Israel. Palestine support Kneecap singer Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who performs under the name Mo Chara, had appeared in court earlier this month after being charged with a terror offence for allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag during a 2024 show in London. Starmer added his voice to those calling for Glastonbury to axe the band from the festival, saying he didn't think it was appropriate that they appear. After the band opened with a montage of famous figures criticising them, Mo Chara told festival-goers at the West Holts Stage: "The Prime Minister of your country, not mine, said he didn't want us to play, so f*** Keir Starmer." The band then repeated the chant, with the crowd joining in. In front of dozens of Palestinian flags in the crowd, Mo Chara also gave an impassioned speech, once again reiterating the band's support for Palestine. "This situation can be quite f****** stressful for us at times but the stress that we're feeling is minimal to what the Palestinian people are going through every f****** day," he said. Kneecap played on the West Holts Stage at the festival (Image: OLI SCARFF / AFP via Getty Images) "We're from West Belfast, a place still under British occupation, and Derry, so we understand colonialism, we understand how important it is for solidarity internationally. "The Irish suffered 800 years of colonialism at the hands of the British state but we were never bombed from the f****** skies with nowhere to go. "The Palestinians have nowhere to f****** go, literally. "Not only are they being bombed from the f****** skies, they're now being starved to death —kids being starved to f****** death in this day and age. "I don't have to lecture you people, we're all watching it, we all have a phone, there's no f****** hiding it — Israel are war criminals. It's a f****** genocide." Referencing the BBC's axing of their live coverage of the band, he added: "I can see the amount of Palestinian flags here and it's f****** insane — the BBC editor is gonna have some job!" Bob Vylan chants Despite the BBC's blackout of Kneecap, Bob Vylan managed to air their support for Palestine in the BBC's live coverage when they took to the West Holts Stage before the Belfast band. Band member Bobby Vylan led the crowd in chants of 'Free, Free Palestine' before adding: "Have you heard this one though?" He then chanted 'Death, Death to the IDF' before adding: "From the river to the sea, Palestine must be, will be, it shall, it will be free." Bobby Vylan of Bob Vylan crowd surfs in front of the West Holts Stage (Image:) Following the chants, Glastonbury Festival released a statement saying it 'does not condone hate speech or incitement to violence of any kind from its performers'. A statement from the government added: "We strongly condemn the threatening comments made by Bob Vylan at Glastonbury." The BBC said that when the comments were made during its live stream, 'a warning was issued on screen about the very strong and discriminatory language'. "We have no plans to make the performance available on demand," it added. Incitement accusation The Israeli Embassy in Britain released a statement after the performances, reading in part: "Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democracy. "But when speech crosses into incitement, hatred, and advocacy of ethnic cleansing, it must be called out — especially when amplified by public figures on prominent platforms. "Chants such as 'Death to the IDF' and 'From the river to the sea' are slogans that advocate for the dismantling of the State of Israel and implicitly call for the elimination of Jewish self-determination." According to Palestinian officials on Friday, more than 56,000 people have been killed by Israeli attacks on Gaza since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks. A festivalgoer wears an Irish Tricolour balaclava during Kneecap's Glastonbury set (Image: OLI SCARFF / AFP via Getty Images) This week, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, criticised the Israeli and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which started operating on May 27 in selected hubs, bypassing the UN and other established NGOs. "The weaponization of food for civilians, in addition to restricting or preventing their access to life-sustaining services, constitutes a war crime and, under certain circumstances, may constitute elements of other crimes under international law," said UN human rights office spokesperson Thameen Al-Keetan. Following Saturday's performances, Avon and Somerset Police said they would be assessing video footage from the festival. "We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," read a statement posted online. "Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation." See More: Bob Vylan, Glastonbury, Israel, Kneecap, Palestine
Irish Times
3 hours ago
- Irish Times
Glastonbury Festival says chants about Israel Defense Forces by Bob Vylan ‘crossed the line'
Glastonbury Festival has said chants about the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) from punk duo Bob Vylan have 'crossed the line', with footage from their set to be assessed by English police. Bobby Vylan led crowds on the festival's West Holts Stage in chants of 'Death, death to the IDF' on Saturday. A member of Belfast rap trio Kneecap later suggested that fans should 'start a riot' at his bandmate's upcoming court appearance . In a joint Instagram post, Glastonbury Festival and Emily Eavis, daughter of the festival's founder Michael, said: 'As a festival, we stand against all forms of war and terrorism. READ MORE 'We will always believe in – and actively campaign for – hope, unity, peace and love. 'With almost 4,000 performances at Glastonbury 2025, there will inevitably be artists and speakers appearing on our stages whose views we do not share, and a performer's presence here should never be seen as a tacit endorsement of their opinions and beliefs.' The post said Glastonbury and Ms Eavis were 'appalled' by the statements made by Bob Vylan on Saturday. Eamily Eavis, daughter of Glastonbury Festival founder Michael Eavis. Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images '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.' UK health secretary Wes Streeting said chants of 'death' to the IDF at Glastonbury were 'appalling' and that the BBC and festival have 'questions to answer'. 'I thought it's appalling, to be honest, and I think the BBC and Glastonbury have got questions to answer about how we saw such a spectacle on our screens,' Mr Streeting told Sky News. He said what people should be talking about in the context of Israel and Gaza is the humanitarian catastrophe and the fact that Israeli settlers attacked a Christian village this week. Asked if the BBC should have cut the live feed, he said the broadcaster has questions to answer. He said he did not know what the editorial and operational 'challenges' involved were. Palestinian flags on display as crowds watch Kneecap performing on the West Holts Stage during the Glastonbury Festival on Saturday. Photograph: Ben Birchall/PA Wire Avon and Somerset Police said video footage would be assessed by officers 'to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation'. On social media, the Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was 'deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival'. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called the scenes 'grotesque', writing on X: 'Glorifying violence against Jews isn't edgy. The West is playing with fire if we allow this sort of behaviour to go unchecked.' A BBC spokesperson saod: 'Some of the comments made during Bob Vylan's set were deeply offensive. 'During this live stream on iPlayer, which reflected what was happening on stage, a warning was issued on screen about the very strong and discriminatory language. We have no plans to make the performance available on demand.' Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has spoken to the BBC director general about Bob Vylan's performance, a UK government spokesperson said. Kneecap have been in the headlines after member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the name Mo Chara, was charged with a terror offence. Kneecap performing on the West Holts Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset on Saturday. Photograph: Yui Mok/PA Wire In reference to his bandmate's forthcoming court date, Naoise Ó Cairealláin, who performs under the name Móglaí Bap, said they would 'start a riot outside the courts', before clarifying: 'No riots just love and support, and support for Palestine'. In the run-up to the festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset, several politicians called for Kneecap to be removed from the line-up and prime minister Keir Starmer said their performance would not be 'appropriate'. During the performance, Ó Cairealláin said: 'The prime minister of your country, not mine, said he didn't want us to play, so f*** Keir Starmer.' He also said a 'big thank you to the Eavis family' and said 'they stood strong' amid calls for the organisers to drop them from the line-up. – PA
Irish Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Police examining Glastonbury performances labelled ‘hateful' and ‘grotesque'
Police continue to examine videos of comments made by acts Bob Vylan and Kneecap at Glastonbury as the festival enters its third day. Rapper Bobby Vylan, of rap punk duo Bob Vylan, on Saturday led crowds on the festival's West Holts Stage in chants of: 'Free, free Palestine' and: 'Death, death to the IDF', before a member of Irish rap trio Kneecap suggested fans 'start a riot' outside his bandmate's upcoming court appearance. In a post on social media, Avon and Somerset Police said: '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.' Reacting on social media, the Israeli Embassy said it was 'deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival'. A statement on X said: 'Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democracy. But when speech crosses into incitement, hatred, and advocacy of ethnic cleansing, it must be called out—especially when amplified by public figures on prominent platforms. 'Chants such as 'Death to the IDF,' and 'From the river to the sea' are slogans that advocate for the dismantling of the State of Israel and implicitly call for the elimination of Jewish self-determination. When such messages are delivered before tens of thousands of festivalgoers and met with applause, 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.' Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called the scenes 'grotesque', writing on X: 'Glorifying violence against Jews isn't edgy. The West is playing with fire if we allow this sort of behaviour to go unchecked. 'The cultural establishment needs to wake up to the fact this isn't protest, it's incitement. 'Less than 2 years ago, hundreds were raped and murdered at a music festival. It's not just the act but the gormless people clapping along and cheering. People with no idea what real terror is. 'They don't understand the evil ideology they're amplifying – and they don't care.' A BBC spokesperson said: 'Some of the comments made during Bob Vylan's set were deeply offensive. During this live stream on iPlayer, which reflected what was happening on stage, a warning was issued on screen about the very strong and discriminatory language. We have no plans to make the performance available on demand.' Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has spoken to the BBC director general about Bob Vylan's performance, a Government spokesperson said. They added: 'We strongly condemn the threatening comments made by Bob Vylan at Glastonbury. 'The Culture Secretary has spoken to the BBC director general to seek an urgent explanation about what due diligence it carried out ahead of the Bob Vylan performance, and welcomes the decision not to re-broadcast it on BBC iPlayer.' Kneecap, who hail from Belfast, have been in the headlines after member Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who performs under the name Mo Chara, was charged with a terror offence. In reference to his bandmate's upcoming court date, Naoise O Caireallain, who performs under the name Moglai Bap, said they would 'start a riot outside the courts', before clarifying: 'No riots just love and support, and support for Palestine.' In the run-up to the festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset, several politicians called for the group to be removed from the line-up and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said their performance would not be 'appropriate'. During the performance, Caireallain said: 'The Prime Minister of your country, not mine, said he didn't want us to play, so f*** Keir Starmer.' He also said a 'big thank you to the Eavis family' and said 'they stood strong' amid calls for the organisers to drop them from the line-up. O hAnnaidh, 27, wore a keffiyeh during the set, while member JJ O Dochartaigh, who performs under the name DJ Provai, wore his signature tri-coloured balaclava as well as a T-shirt that said: 'We are all Palestine Action', in reference to the soon-to-be banned campaign group. News broadcasts criticising the hip hop trio played from the sound system before they walked onto the stage were booed by the Glastonbury Festival audience. The trio opened with the song Better Way To Live from their 2024 album Fine Art and also performed tracks including Get Your Brits Out and Hood. Access to the area around the West Holts Stage was closed around 45 minutes before their performance after groups of fans arrived to form a sea of Irish and Palestinian flags. Earlier on Saturday, the BBC confirmed they would not be live-streaming the set but said the performance is likely to be made available on-demand later. O hAnnaidh was charged with allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah, while saying 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah' at a gig in November last year. On June 18, the rapper was cheered by hundreds of supporters as he arrived with bandmates O Caireallain and O Dochartaigh at Westminster Magistrates' Court in Free Mo Chara T-shirts. He was released on unconditional bail until the next hearing at the same court on August 20.
