UK opens investigation into Bob Vylan's rappers after anti-Israeli comments
By The New Obs with AFP
Published on
At the Glastonbury Music Festival, a band member chanted "Death, death to the IDF!" – the Israeli Defense Forces – which he had asked the crowd to take up.
The controversy surrounding the anti-Israeli remarks made by Bob Vylan's rappers at Glastonbury on Saturday took a new turn on Monday, June 30, with the opening of an investigation by the British police, while the United States announced that it was revoking the visas of these two artists, as you can see in the video at the top of the article .
In addition to Bob Vylan, the investigation also involves the Northern Irish band Kneecap, who also made statements against Israel on stage at the famous British festival. "Following a review of video footage and audio from the performances" of both bands, "we have decided that further investigations are necessary and a criminal investigation is now underway," Avon and Somerset Police said.
The cause of the incident concerning Bob Vylan was a slogan chanted by one of its two members – "Death, death to the IDF!" , the Israeli Defense Forces – which he had asked the crowd to repeat. These words had provoked a reaction on Sunday even from Prime Minister Keir Starmer , for whom "nothing excuses this kind of hateful speech" . The festival organizers, for their part, had said they were "appalled" .
"Anti-Semitic sentiments"The controversy surrounding Bob Vylan took on an international dimension on Monday with the United States revoking the visas of the two rappers, just months before their American tour.
"Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country," wrote US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Landau on the social network X, denouncing a "hateful tirade."
The punk rap group was scheduled to perform around a dozen dates across the US starting in late October, from Denver to Los Angeles via Detroit and Nashville, opening for American-Canadian singer Grandson.
The BBC, which was broadcasting the duo's concert live on its dedicated Glastonbury Festival platform, said on Monday that it regretted not stopping the broadcast.
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"The BBC respects freedom of expression but firmly opposes incitement to violence. The anti-Semitic sentiments expressed by Bob Vylan were completely unacceptable and have no place on our airwaves," the public broadcaster said in a statement.
"Absolutely scandalous"Ofcom, the broadcasting regulator, said it was "very concerned" about the live broadcast. "The BBC clearly has some answers to provide," it said in a statement, adding that it was looking into "the procedures put in place (by the media) to ensure compliance with its own editorial guidelines."
"It's absolutely scandalous," Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel said on Times Radio on Monday, questioning "who is responsible for this event."
Initially, this edition of the Glastonbury Festival was primarily under scrutiny due to the controversial presence of Kneecap, one of whose three members, Liam O'Hanna, known as Mo Chara, was charged with a "terrorist offense" for displaying a Hezbollah flag during a London concert in 2024.
The BBC had also announced that the band's performance would not be broadcast live. At Glastonbury, the Belfast rappers accused Israel of being a "war criminal" state and reiterated their support for the Palestinians, repeatedly chanting "Free Palestine!" and calling on the crowd to repeat insults aimed at Keir Starmer.
Many spectators waved Palestinian flags during the particularly popular festival, which attracted more than 200,000 people in 2024.
By The New Obs with AFP
