English punk duo Bob Vylan stirred up controversy over the weekend for chanting “Death, death to the IDF” during their performance at Glastonbury. Following the set, singer Bobby Vylan, who uses a stage name, defended his onstage remarks in a lengthy Instagram post captioned, “I said what I said.”
Vylan shared that he had been “inundated with messages of both support and hatred.” He explained that he was inspired by his daughter responding to a survey on school meals and that “listening to her voice her opinion” reminded him that “we may not be doomed after all.”
“Teaching our children to speak up for the change they want and need is the only way that we make this world a better place,” he wrote. “As we grow older and our fire possibly starts to dim under the suffocation of adult life and all its responsibilities, it is incredibly important that we encourage and inspire future generations to pick up the torch that was passed to us. Let us display to them loudly and visibly the right thing to do when we want and need change. Let them see up marching in the streets, campaigning on ground level, organising online and shouting about it on any and every stage that we are offered. Today it is a change in school dinners, tomorrow it is a change in foreign policy.”
Bob Vylan performed on the West Holts Stage of Glastonbury on Saturday afternoon ahead of Kneecap‘s much-discussed set. Vylan, one half of the group alongside drummer Bobbie Vylan, led the audience in chants of “Free, free Palestine” and “Death, death to the IDF,” a reference to the Israeli Defense Forces.
Glastonbury boss Emily Eavis responded on Instagram, saying festival organizers were “appalled by the statements made from the West Holts stage by Bob Vylan yesterday.” She added, “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.”
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A similar statement was issued by the BBC, who live-streamed the set, confirming that the it would not be available to watch on demand. “Some of the comments made during Bob Vylan’s set were deeply offensive,” they said. “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. We have no plans to make the performance available on demand.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer responded to Bob Vylan’s performance in a statement, saying, “There is no excuse for this kind of appalling hate speech.” Starmer, who previously criticized Kneecap being allowed to perform at the festival, added, “I said that Kneecap should not be given a platform and that goes for any other performers making threats or inciting violence. The BBC needs to explain how these scenes came to be broadcast.”
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Kneecap took the stage following Bob Vylan’s set, using the opportunity to hit out at Starmer and to express their support for a free Palestine. “The Prime Minister of your country – not ours – said he didn’t want us to play,” band member Mo Chara proclaimed on stage. “So fuck Keir Starmer.” Rod Stewart was also the subject of comment from the band, with Chara saying: “Anybody going to Rod Stewart tomorrow? The man is older than Israel!”
The band’s set wasn’t live-streamed as planned on the BBC iPlayer, but Kneecap took to Instagram earlier in the day to confirm that the BBC “WILL put our set from Glastonbury today on the I-player later this evening for your viewing pleasure.”
