Bob Vylan defends Glastonbury chant after criticism from festival organizers, BBC, and political leaders
Bobby Vylan, one-half of the punk-rap duo Bob Vylan, has defended remarks made during the group's Glastonbury set, which drew widespread condemnation from festival organizers, the BBC, and political leaders. The backlash follows a chant led by Bobby during their 28 June performance, where he repeated 'Death to the IDF [Israel Defense Forces]' while onstage at the West Holts Stage.
The BBC livestreamed the set but did not upload it to iPlayer afterward. Glastonbury organizers issued a statement shortly after, saying the chant 'very much crossed a line,' and emphasized that there is no place at the festival for 'antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence.' Police are currently reviewing footage from Bob Vylan's set, as well as that of Belfast group Kneecap, who also made politically charged statements during their performance.
In an Instagram post shared Sunday, 29 June, Bobby Vylan acknowledged receiving an overwhelming response—both supportive and critical—since the performance. In a statement captioned 'I said what I said,' he reaffirmed his position and connected his onstage comments to broader calls for political reform, specifically in foreign policy.
Bobby included a personal reflection, recounting a moment with his daughter as she gave feedback on her school meals. The experience, he said, reminded him of the importance of empowering young people to advocate for change. 'Let them see us marching… shouting about it on any and every stage,' he wrote, encouraging continued activism at all levels.
The incident has sparked renewed debate over the boundaries of political expression on public stages and in live broadcasts. Labour leader Keir Starmer condemned the chant and urged the BBC to explain how it was aired during the live stream.
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