State Department Revokes Bob Vylan’s Visa Over Glastonbury Performance

Over the weekend, British punk-rap duo Bob Vylan performed at Glastonbury where they urged the crowd to chant “free Palestine” and “Death, death to the IDF [Israel Defense Forces],” which caused controversy amid Glastonbury organizers. Now the U.S. Department of State is taking action against the band, revoking their U.S. visa. The duo was set to begin a U.S. tour this fall.

“The @StateDept has revoked the US visas for the members of the Bob Vylan band in light of their hateful tirade at Glastonbury, including leading the crowd in death chants,” Christopher Landau, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, wrote on social platform X. “Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country.” Bob Vylan was slated for a tour through the U.S. this fall.

“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,” festival organizer Emily Eavis said in a statement.

Following their set, singer Bobby Vylan defended their stance via Instagram, captioning his post with, “I said what I said.”

He wrote that he had been “inundated with messages of both support and hatred.” He added 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 continued. “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.”

The group’s booking agent, United Talent Agency, has also reportedly dropped the band from its roster, per the Hollywood Reporter.

Bob Vylan’s performance followed Kneecap’s much-discussed set at Glastonbury, where that band also voiced their support of Palestine. Kneecap’s Mo Charra was charged with a terror offense after he allegedly displayed a Hezbollah flag onstage during a show in London late last year. Kneecap’s set was not livestreamed as planned by the BBC.