British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Glastonbury organisers said yesterday they were appalled by on-stage chanting against the Israeli military during a performance at the festival by Punk-rap duo Bob Vylan.
During their show on Saturday, the duo chanted “Death, death, to the IDF” in reference to the Israel Defence Forces, the formal name of the Israeli military.
Police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation, but did not name Bob Vylan or Irish rap band Kneecap, who appeared on the same stage and also criticised Israel.
“Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation,” Avon and Somerset Police, in western England where the festival is held, said on X.
“There is no excuse for this kind of appalling hate speech,” Starmer said in a statement. “I said that Kneecap should not be given a platform and that goes for any other performers making threats or inciting violence.”
The festival organisers criticised the chanting by Bob Vylan, which comprises the guitarist-singer with the stage name Bobby Vylan and a drummer known as Bobbie Vylan.
“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,” it said yesterday.
Bob Vylan’s band members did not respond to a request for comment.
Starmer also criticised Britain’s BBC, which transmits much of the festival live, for showing the performance.
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