16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Rod Stewart fires veiled rebuke to pro-Palestine acts Kneecap and Bob Vylan as he makes return to Glastonbury
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
ROD Stewart fired a veiled rebuke to pro-Palestine acts Kneecap and Bob Vylan as he made a sensational return to Glastonbury today.
The 80-year-old appeared on the Pyramid Stage a day after a day of shame on Saturday for the massive three day festival.
Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter
Sign up
4
Rod Stewart on the Glastonbury Pyramid Stage
4
Rod said music 'brings people together'
4
Kneecap on stage on Saturday
4
Bob Vylan waves Palestine flag
Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
Punk rap duo Bob Vylan led the crowd in a chant of 'death to the IDF', referencing the Israeli Defence Force, which was broadcast live on the BBC.
And Kneecap fans jeered Rod Stewart's name after they namechecked him, called him 'Rod the Prod' and mocked 'He's older than Israel.'
Asked if their fans were going to see Rod's show, the question was met by boos, which may have been a reaction to Rod saying he's is a big fan of Nigel Farage and the Reform Party.
But the Celtic-daft crooner emerged to huge cheers for his Legends spot to pipers playing 'Scotland the Brave'.
He told the fans: " I'm here, enjoy yourselves ladies and gentlemen please."
In an apparent jibe towards the divisive performances of Saturday, he said: "Music brings us together, we need music.
"There's been a lot about the Middle East lately, quite rightly so, but I want to draw your attention to the Ukraine with the next song, called The Love Train."
He kicked off his set with his hit Tonight I'm Yours before singing other hits like The First Cut is the Deepest.
Asked where Britain's political future now lay, he told The Times earlier this week: 'It's hard for me because I'm extremely wealthy, and I deserve to be, so a lot of it doesn't really touch me.
'But that doesn't mean I'm out of touch. For instance, I've read about Starmer cutting off the fishing in Scotland and giving it back to the EU. That hasn't made him popular.
Lord of the Rings star breaks down in tears after making surprise appearance on stage at Glastonbury
'We're fed up with the Tories. We've got to give Farage a chance. He's coming across well. What options have we got? I know some of his family, I know his brother, and I quite like him.'
Asked what Mr Farage stands for aside from Brexit, tighter immigration and controversial economic promises he replied: 'Yeah, yeah. But Starmer's all about getting us out of Brexit and I don't know how he's going to do that.
'Still, the country will survive. It could be worse. We could be in the Gaza Strip.'
Meanwhile, Kneecap will not be prosecuted by terror cops over their "kill your MP" remarks.
The Irish band - who the BBC refused to broadcast live at Glastonbury yesterday - were subject of a terror probe by the Met Police unrelated to their appearance at the festival.
It concerned a video from a November 2023 gig which emerged last month and saw one band member calling for the death of British politicians.
He could be heard in the footage saying: 'The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.'
The trio - which includes Liam Og O hAnnaidh, Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh - responded with a grovelling statement, including to the families of murdered MPs Sir David Amess and Jo Cox, insisting they would not incite violence against any individual.
However, Avon & Somerset Police is carrying out its own investigation into comments made by Kneecap and rap duo Bob Vylan on Glastonbury's West Holts Stage on Saturday.
Ó Caireallain called on the crowd to "riot" outside Westminster magistrates in August when bandmate O hAnnaidh returns to court in August on another terror charge.
Kneecap started their performance yesterday afternoon by chanting "f*** Keir Starmer".
They also spoke out in support of Palestine Action and prior to appearing on stage, the band put a post onto their social media accounts showing a photo of O Dochartaigh in a 'We Are All Palestine Action' t-shirt.
The anti-Israel activist group could soon be banned in the UK.
Meanwhile, a statement said Glastonbury chiefs are 'appalled' after music double act Bob Vylan led the crowd in "death to the IDF" chants during their performance.
IDF stands for Israel Defence Forces, the national military of the State of Israel, which is currently involved with the war in Gaza, one of two remaining Palestinian territories.
It comes after Israeli politicians blasted the BBC and Glastonbury for failing to cut off the performance during the live broadcast of the festival.
The singer from the pro-Palestine punk act, who keeps his identity secret, also shouted "from the river to the sea Palestine... will be free" - regarded by Jews as a call for Israel's elimination.
Bob Vylan - which consists of singer Bobby Vylan and guitarist Bobbie Vylan - then shared a post on X of the former eating an ice-cream with the caption: "While Zionists are crying on socials, I've just had a late night (vegan) ice cream."
The BBC later took down the broadcast on the iPlayer but has been criticised for not cutting it off immediately after the anti-Semitic chanting, with the live feed continuing for another 40 minutes.
O hAnnaidh was charged under the Terrorism Act last month after allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed terrorist group Hezbollah while saying "up Hamas, up Hezbollah" during a gig in Kentish Town, north London, in November.
