Latest news with #Vylan
Scotsman
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Glastonbury festival: Why BBC must make amends over Bob Vylan 'death' chants
Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... It is a proverb linked to wartime prime minister Sir Winston Churchill, but synonymous in recent times with popular culture in the form of the Spider-Man Marvel universe. It feels wholly appropriate that it could also be directed at another pop culture phenomenon that has taken over our screens and social media feeds over the past week – Glastonbury. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The reach of the music extravaganza at Worthy Farm in Somerset has become near unprecedented. Punk act Bob Vylan and Belfast hip-hop group Kneecap sparked controversy with their Glastonbury performances, with police confirming that they were assessing footage from the sets. Thanks to the BBC's wall-to-wall digital coverage, Glastonbury, which this year has featured acts ranging from the current Olivia Rodrigo to veteran rockers Rod Stewart and Neil Young, is no longer an event you need to be at to experience. In 2023, Glastonbury content was streamed a record 50.3 million times across BBC iPlayer and to BBC Sounds. It is a massive virtual platform – which is why the BBC should rightly face criticism for the scenes aired on Saturday. On the festival's West Holts Stage, English punk act Bobby Vylan led crowds in chants of 'death, death to the IDF'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Health Secretary Wes Streeting yesterday described the chants as 'appalling' and stressed the BBC and festival had 'questions to answer'. He said people should instead be talking about the humanitarian catastrophe in Israel and Gaza. 'All life is sacred,' he said. The BBC said a warning was issued on screen during Vylan's set about the 'very strong and discriminatory language'. The broadcaster has confirmed it has no plans to make the performance available on demand. Glastonbury festival organisers also said in a statement the chants during Vylan's set had 'crossed the line'. However, both the BBC and those behind Glastonbury must go further and embrace their 'responsibility' by reviewing their plans for and responses to a similar spectacle in future.
Bangkok Post
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Bangkok Post
UK govt condemns 'death to the IDF' chants at Glastonbury
GLASTONBURY (UNITED KINGDOM) - A British punk-rap group faced growing criticism on Sunday for making anti-Israel remarks at the Glastonbury music festival that have sparked a police inquiry. Bob Vylan led crowds in chants of "Death, death to the IDF", a reference to the acronym for the Israeli military, during their set on Saturday. British police officers are also examining comments by the Irish rap trio Kneecap, whose members have likewise been highly critical of Israel and its military campaign against the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip. One of Kneecap's members wore a T-shirt dedicated to the Palestine Action Group, which is about to be banned under UK terror laws. The UK government has "strongly condemned" Bob Vylan's chants, which festival organisers said had "very much crossed a line". "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," the festival said in a statement. Avon and Somerset police said Saturday that video evidence would be assessed by officers "to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation". - 'Life is sacred' - The chants about Israel's military, condemned by the Israeli embassy in London, were led by Bob Vylan's frontman Bobby Vylan. They were broadcast live on the BBC, which airs coverage of Britain's most popular music festival. "I thought it's appalling, to be honest," Wes Streeting, the Labour's government's health secretary, said of the chants, adding that "all life is sacred". "I think the BBC and Glastonbury have got questions to answer about how we saw such a spectacle on our screens," he told Sky News. The Israel embassy said in a statement late Saturday that "it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival". But Streeting also took aim at the embassy, telling it to "get your own house in order". "I think there's a serious point there by the Israeli embassy. I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said, citing Israeli settler violence in the West Bank. A spokesperson for the BBC said Vylan's comments were "deeply offensive" and the broadcaster had "no plans" to make the performance available on its on-demand service. Festival-goer Joe McCabe, 31, told AFP that while he did not necessarily agree with Vylan's statement, "I certainly think the message of questioning what's going on there (in Gaza) is right." - 'A joke' - Kneecap, which has made headlines in recent months with its pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel stance, also led crowds in chanting abuse against UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Starmer and other politicians had said the band should not perform after its member Liam O'Hanna, known by his stage name Mo Chara, was charged with a terror offence. He appeared in court this month accused of having displayed a Hezbollah flag while saying "Up Hamas, Up Hezbollah" after a video resurfaced of a London concert last year. The Iran-backed Lebanese force Hezbollah and the Palestinian militant group Hamas are banned in the UK, and it is an offence to express support for them. O'Hanna has denied the charge and told the Guardian newspaper in an interview published Friday that "it was a joke -- we're playing characters". Kneecap regularly lead crowds in chants of "Free Palestine" during its concerts, and fans revere them for their anti-establishment stance and criticism of British imperialism, while detractors call them extremists. The group apologised this year after a 2023 video emerged appearing to show one singer calling for the death of British Conservative lawmakers. Israel began its offensive against Hamas in the Palestinian territory of Gaza after the militants launched an attack that resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. Israel's retaliatory military campaign has killed at least 56,412 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to Hamas-run territory's health ministry. The United Nations considers these figures to be reliable.
NBC News
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Glastonbury Festival condemns chants of ‘free Palestine' and ‘death to the IDF'
Palestinian flags waved amid the crowd at the Glastonbury Festival on Saturday as several performers led the audience in chants criticizing Israel's continued military campaign in Gaza. English punk duo Bob Vylan came under fire after appearing to encourage tens of thousands of audience members to call for 'death' to the Israeli Defense Forces during their set. Following chants of 'Free, free Palestine,' singer Bobby Vylan appeared to switch to a different line: 'Death, death to the IDF.' 'From the river to the sea,' Vylan could be seen saying on video shared across social media, 'Palestine must be, will be, inshallah, it will be free.' Emily Eavis, co-organizer of the Glastonbury Festival in southwestern England, shared in a statement Sunday that the festival is 'appalled' by Vylan's statements. '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,' Eavis wrote. She wrote that the organizers stand against 'all forms of war and terrorism' and will always advocate 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,' Eavis added, 'and a performer's presence here should never be seen as a tacit endorsement of their opinions and beliefs.' The incident comes as criticism of Israel grows louder around the world, with many in the U.K., U.S. and elsewhere protesting the state's continual bombardment of the Gaza Strip, where the death toll has surpassed 55,000, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Israel has also been accused of war crimes by the U.N. Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory. On Saturday afternoon, the Avon and Somerset Police were quick to announce in an X post that officers are assessing video evidence to 'determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation.' The BBC, which aired the festival, also said that some of Vylan's comments onstage 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,' a spokesperson wrote in an email. 'We have no plans to make the performance available on demand.' And in a statement issued by the Israeli Embassy in the United Kingdom, officials denounced speech that they said 'crosses into incitement, hatred, and advocacy of ethnic cleansing.' The embassy wrote that chants like 'Death to the IDF,' and 'From the river to the sea' are phrases 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 normalization of extremist language and the glorification of violence,' the embassy wrote. Bob Vylan did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But the punk group wasn't the only act to land in hot water for its conduct at the festival. Northern Irish rap trio Kneecap — which has stirred controversy before for its vocally pro-Palestinian views — also criticized Israel during its set while encouraging chants of 'Free, free Palestine.' Last month, British authorities charged Kneecap rapper Mo Chara, whose real name is Liam O'Hanna (or Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh), with a terrorism offense after he was accused of displaying the flag of the Hezbollah militant group. He appeared in court earlier this month. On Saturday, the band appeared to kick off its set with a video compilation highlighting the terror charge as well as politicians criticizing Glastonbury's decision to allow Kneecap to play, according to clips that circulated online. 'I don't have to lecture you people. Israel are war criminals. It's a f-----g genocide,' O'Hanna told the crowd. He also called attention to the number of Palestinian flags in the audience, adding, 'The BBC editors are gonna have some job.' He then called on the crowd to join him in the chant, emphasizing the 'difference it makes to people in Palestine when they see people from the other side of the world.' The band also drew backlash earlier this year when it included pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel messaging at Coachella, where it displayed a screen with the words: 'F--- Israel, Free Palestine.' 'The Irish not so long ago were persecuted at the hands of the Brits, but we were never bombed from the ... skies with nowhere to go,' O'Hanna said at Coachella during the band's second weekend performance. 'The Palestinians have nowhere to go.'
Kuwait Times
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Kuwait Times
UK govt condemns ‘death to the IDF' chants at Glastonbury
GLASTONBURY, UK: A British punk-rap group faced growing criticism on Sunday for making anti-Zionist remarks at the Glastonbury music festival that have sparked a police inquiry. Bob Vylan led crowds in chants of 'Death, death to the IDF', a reference to the acronym for the Zionist military, during their set on Saturday. British police officers are also examining comments by the Irish rap trio Kneecap, whose members have likewise been highly critical of Zionist entity and its military campaign against the Palestinian group Hamas in the Gaza Strip. One of Kneecap's members wore a T-shirt dedicated to the Palestine Action Group, which is about to be banned under UK terror laws. The UK government has 'strongly condemned' Bob Vylan's chants, which festival organizers said had 'very much crossed a line'. '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,' the festival said in a statement. Avon and Somerset police said Saturday that video evidence would be assessed by officers 'to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation'. The chants about Zionist military, condemned by the Zionist embassy in London, were led by Bob Vylan's frontman Bobby Vylan. They were broadcast live on the BBC, which airs coverage of Britain's most popular music festival. 'I thought it's appalling, to be honest,' Wes Streeting, the Labour's government's health secretary, said of the chants, adding that 'all life is sacred'. 'I think the BBC and Glastonbury have got questions to answer about how we saw such a spectacle on our screens,' he told Sky News. The Zionist embassy said in a statement late Saturday that 'it was 'deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival'. But Streeting also took aim at the embassy, telling it to 'get your own house in order'. 'I think there's a serious point there by the (Zionist) embassy. I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously,' he said, citing Israeli settler violence in the West Bank. A spokesperson for the BBC said Vylan's comments were 'deeply offensive' and the broadcaster had 'no plans' to make the performance available on its on-demand service. Festival-goer Joe McCabe, 31, told AFP that while he did not necessarily agree with Vylan's statement, 'I certainly think the message of questioning what's going on there (in Gaza) is right.' Kneecap, which has made headlines in recent months with its pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel stance, also led crowds in chanting abuse against UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Starmer and other politicians had said the band should not perform after its member Liam O'Hanna, known by his stage name Mo Chara, was charged with a terror offence. He appeared in court this month accused of having displayed a Hezbollah flag while saying 'Up Hamas, Up Hezbollah' after a video resurfaced of a London concert last year. The Iran-backed Lebanese force Hezbollah and the Palestinian group Hamas are banned in the UK, and it is an offence to express support for them. O'Hanna has denied the charge and told the Guardian newspaper in an interview published Friday that 'it was a joke—we're playing characters'.—AFP
Int'l Business Times
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Int'l Business Times
UK Govt Condemns 'Death To The IDF' Chants At Glastonbury
A British punk-rap group faced growing criticism on Sunday for making anti-Israel remarks at the Glastonbury music festival that have sparked a police inquiry. Bob Vylan led crowds in chants of "Death, death to the IDF", a reference to the acronym for the Israeli military, during their set on Saturday. British police officers are also examining comments by the Irish rap trio Kneecap, whose members have likewise been highly critical of Israel and its military campaign against the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip. One of Kneecap's members wore a T-shirt dedicated to the Palestine Action Group, which is about to be banned under UK terror laws. The UK government has "strongly condemned" Bob Vylan's chants, which festival organisers said had "very much crossed a line". "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," the festival said in a statement. Avon and Somerset police said Saturday that video evidence would be assessed by officers "to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation". The chants about Israel's military, condemned by the Israeli embassy in London, were led by Bob Vylan's frontman Bobby Vylan. They were broadcast live on the BBC, which airs coverage of Britain's most popular music festival. "I thought it's appalling, to be honest," Wes Streeting, the Labour's government's health secretary, said of the chants, adding that "all life is sacred". "I think the BBC and Glastonbury have got questions to answer about how we saw such a spectacle on our screens," he told Sky News. The Israel embassy said in a statement late Saturday that "it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival". But Streeting also took aim at the embassy, telling it to "get your own house in order". "I think there's a serious point there by the Israeli embassy. I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said, citing Israeli settler violence in the West Bank. A spokesperson for the BBC said Vylan's comments were "deeply offensive" and the broadcaster had "no plans" to make the performance available on its on-demand service. Festival-goer Joe McCabe, 31, told AFP that while he did not necessarily agree with Vylan's statement, "I certainly think the message of questioning what's going on there (in Gaza) is right." Kneecap, which has made headlines in recent months with its pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel stance, also led crowds in chanting abuse against UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Starmer and other politicians had said the band should not perform after its member Liam O'Hanna, known by his stage name Mo Chara, was charged with a terror offence. He appeared in court this month accused of having displayed a Hezbollah flag while saying "Up Hamas, Up Hezbollah" after a video resurfaced of a London concert last year. The Iran-backed Lebanese force Hezbollah and the Palestinian militant group Hamas are banned in the UK, and it is an offence to express support for them. O'Hanna has denied the charge and told the Guardian newspaper in an interview published Friday that "it was a joke -- we're playing characters". Kneecap regularly lead crowds in chants of "Free Palestine" during its concerts, and fans revere them for their anti-establishment stance and criticism of British imperialism, while detractors call them extremists. The group apologised this year after a 2023 video emerged appearing to show one singer calling for the death of British Conservative lawmakers. Israel began its offensive against Hamas in the Palestinian territory of Gaza after the militants launched an attack that resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. Israel's retaliatory military campaign has killed at least 56,412 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to Hamas-run territory's health ministry. The United Nations considers these figures to be reliable. Police are studying videos of comments by Bobby Vylan of British duo Bob Vylan AFP
