The organizers of the Glastonbury festival expressed their indignation for the comments of Punk Vylan, who incited violence on stage. The police opened an investigation, and the BBC has eliminated the concert registration of its platforms.
Singer Punk Bobby Vylan, member of Bob Vylan Photo: X
The organizers of the Glastonbury festival have declared themselves “dismayed” by the statements made by the band Punk London Bob Vylan, who, during a concert held on Saturday afternoon on the West Holts stage, chanted slogans considered inciter to hatred and violence. In the center of controversies: a direct call against the Israeli army.
“Death, IDF death!“, The band shouted in front of the public, referring to Israel Defense Forces (IDF) – the armed forces of Israel, responsible for the defense of the Israeli state.
Soloist Bobby Vylan, who self -defined as “Punk violently ”said from the stage: “Sometimes we have to send our message through violence, because, unfortunately, it is the only language that some understand.”
BBC reaction and police investigation
The concert was initially broadcast live by the BBC, but was subsequently withdrawn from the streaming platforms. A spokesman for the British post said that “Some statements of Bob Vylan were deeply offensive. ”
The police have confirmed that it has opened an investigation to analyze whether at the concert and the one later held by the Kneecap band, the Guardian reported.
The official position of the organizers
Emily Eavis, the co-organizer of the festival, published a statement condemning Bob Vylan: “As a festival, we oppose all forms of war and terrorism. We believe in hope, unity, peace and love and actively fight for these”.
She added: “With almost 4,000 performance at Glastonbury 2025, artists or speakers will be inevitable whose opinions we do not share. The presence of an artist at the festival does not mean that we approve his beliefs. However, we are terrified by the statements made by Bob Vylan on the West Holts stage. They exceeded the limit, and we remind all those involved in the festival that there is no room for anti -Semitism, hate speeches or incitement to violence”.
Political reactions: mutual convictions and criticisms
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has cataloged the scandals as “Revolving hatred speech ” and stated for The Telegraph: “I said the Kneecap band should not receive a platform, and this is true for anyone inciting violence. BBC must explain how this moment has come to be broadcast”.
The Minister of Health, Wes Streeting, described the scene as “revolting“And he said that both BBC and Glastonbury must answer for what happened. At the same time, he had a critical reply for the Israel Embassy, who condemned the show:”If I think of the equivalent of the Ukraine war, I unequivocly support Ukraine’s victory. But would I celebrate the death of Russian soldiers? Not. I want the war to end. I would also tell those from the Embassy of Israel to order in their own court, especially in terms of the behavior of Israeli colonists in the Westordania. I condemn the violence, regardless of the part he commits. “
Palestine support on the Glastonbury stage
Pro-Palestinian messages have not been missing from this year’s edition of the festival, one of the largest music events in the world, which takes place in England and brings together tens of thousands of participants.
Several artists, including Cmat, Libertins, Joy Crookes, Paloma Faith and Sorry, showed Palestinian flags or wore Keffiyeh scarves. Host TV Gary Lineker shouted “Free Palestine” at the end of his speech, and singer Nadine Shah sang in front of an image with the damage in Gaza, saying: “I can’t stand to see people killed.”
She read an open letter of the Artists for Palestine UK organization, stating the support for the Palestine Action activists, in danger of being declared a terrorist organization by the British government. “Palestine Action intervenes to stop a genocide. Wants to save lives. We consider an aberration that non-violent direct actions are labeled as terrorism. The true threat comes from the government’s attempts to prohibit them ”showed in the text.
“If I read this letter after 4 July I could be prosecuted for that“Added Shah.
The position of Israel: “dangerous rhetoric”
The Israel Embassy in the UK has transmitted to be “deeply disturbed ” of “Inflammatory and hateful rhetoric“Expressed on the Glastonbury stage. In a message published on the X platform, he stressed:”Freedom of expression is essential in a democracy, but when the discourse instigates hatred and ethnic treatment, it must be sanctioned-especially when amplified by public persons, in front of tens of thousands of people. “
“Scandals like «Death of the IDF» or «From the river to the sea» promotes the abolition of the state of Israel and undermines the right of the Jewish people to self -determination. When such messages are applauded by the public we are facing a dangerous normalization of extremist discourse and glorifying violenceI ”, concluded the embassy.
