Bob Vylan’s Glastonbury Chants Ignite Fury Over Antisemitism and Terror Support
On Saturday, June 28, 2025, Glastonbury Festival, Britain’s cultural cornerstone, was tainted by a shocking display of antisemitic and terrorist-supporting rhetoric from punk duo Bob Vylan. Performing on the West Holts Stage, frontman Bobby Vylan led thousands in chants of “Death, death to the IDF” (Israel Defense Forces) and “Free, free Palestine,” widely condemned as antisemitic and inciting violence. Broadcast live by the BBC to millions worldwide, this incident has sparked outrage, a police investigation, and urgent questions about why such hate was platformed on a global stage.
Antisemitic Chants and Support for Terrorism
Bob Vylan’s performance was a calculated provocation. The chant “Death to the IDF” explicitly calls for violence against Israeli soldiers, rooted in antisemitic tropes that vilify Jews as legitimate targets. The accompanying slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” widely interpreted as a call for Israel’s destruction, further inflamed tensions. The crowd, waving Palestinian flags and chanting in unison, appeared swept up in a mob mentality, many seemingly unaware of the hateful implications of their actions.
The performance also carried a disturbing endorsement of Hamas, a proscribed terrorist organisation in the UK. By accusing Israel of “genocide” and praising groups like Palestine Action, which faces scrutiny as a potential terror group, Bob Vylan’s rhetoric aligns with extremist ideologies that glorify violence. Their references to “violent punks” and using “violence” to convey messages underscore their reckless intent. The brainwashed enthusiasm of festivalgoers, chanting without critical thought, highlights how easily hate can spread in such settings.
Why Is This Acceptable in the UK?
How has such blatant antisemitic and terror-supporting rhetoric become seemingly tolerable in Britain? Less than two years after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on the Nova music festival, where 378 Israelis were massacred, raped, and kidnapped, the irony of similar chants at Glastonbury is sickening. Yet, this incident reflects a broader trend where anti-Israel sentiment, often veering into antisemitism, is excused as “activism.” The Israeli Embassy condemned the “inflammatory and hateful rhetoric,” warning of its real-world consequences. Glastonbury’s organisers, while “appalled” and claiming the chants “crossed a line,” failed to intervene during the performance, raising questions about their oversight.
The BBC’s Role: A National Disgrace
The BBC’s decision to broadcast Bob Vylan’s 40-minute set, unedited, despite the inflammatory chants, is a scandal of national proportions. A belated on-screen warning about “very strong and discriminatory language” did nothing to mitigate the damage, as the feed continued uninterrupted. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has demanded an “urgent explanation” from BBC Director-General Tim Davie, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer labelling the chants “appalling hate speech.” Former BBC Television Director Danny Cohen called it an “utter disgrace,” arguing the broadcaster could have foreseen and stopped the broadcast. Why was Bob Vylan’s set aired while a subsequent performance by Irish rap group Kneecap was pulled for similar concerns? The public deserves answers about who authorised this lapse and why no immediate action was taken.
Comparison to Lucie Connolly: A Question of Justice
The case of Lucie Connolly, jailed for 15 months in October 2024 for a social media post inciting violence against asylum seeker hotels, sets a stark precedent. Connolly’s post, written in anger during riots in Cheshire, was deemed a criminal act of incitement, leading to her swift prosecution. Bob Vylan’s public call for “Death to the IDF,” performed before thousands and broadcast globally, arguably constitutes a far graver incitement to violence, targeting a specific group—Israeli soldiers—while endorsing terrorist-aligned rhetoric. Will the band face similar consequences? Avon and Somerset Police are investigating whether the chants breach laws on incitement or hate speech, but the lack of immediate arrests, unlike Connolly’s case, raises questions about consistency in applying the law. If a single post warrants years in prison, surely a public, globally broadcast incitement demands at least equal scrutiny.
Consequences for Bob Vylan
Police are reviewing footage to determine if Bob Vylan’s actions constitute a criminal offence. The band’s flippant response—Bobby Vylan’s Instagram story mocking “Zionists crying on socials” while eating vegan ice cream—shows a lack of remorse. The Campaign Against Antisemitism has demanded arrests, arguing the chants meet the threshold for prosecution under UK laws against incitement and hate speech. Health Secretary Wes Streeting called the performance “revolting,” while Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch labelled it “grotesque,” warning against glorifying violence. The BBC’s decision to remove Bob Vylan’s set from iPlayer is a hollow gesture, given the live broadcast’s reach, and is simply too little, too late.
No Place for Hate in British Society
Antisemitic, terrorist-supporting rhetoric has no place in British society. The UK values free expression, but inciting violence or promoting hatred against Jews—or any group—crosses a legal and moral line. Bob Vylan’s actions, amplified by the BBC’s negligence, demand accountability. The authorities must prosecute those responsible to the fullest extent of the law, as they did with Lucie Connolly, to deter future hate. Glastonbury, the BBC, and cultural institutions must reflect on their role in allowing this rhetoric to flourish. British society deserves better—public figures and artists must reject hatred and uphold values of peace and respect.
