Key Points
- Police are investigating Glastonbury acts over chants targeting Israel and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
- The BBC said it regretted not stopping the livestream of Bob Vylan's set at Glastonbury.
- The United States has revoked visas for Bob Vylan band members.
British police have launched a criminal investigation into musical duo Bob Vylan and Irish rap band Kneecap's gigs at the Glastonbury music festival after they led chanting against the Israeli military and United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The police are investigating "comments made on stage" by both groups for possible public order offences after reviewing video footage and audio from their performances, the Avon and Somerset regional police force said.
Vylan's set included on-stage chants of "death, death to the IDF", a reference to the Israel Defense Forces, while Kneecap led chants against Starmer and condemned Israel in front of a huge crowd.
"This has been recorded as a public order incident at this time while our inquiries are at an early stage," the police statement said. "The investigation will be evidence-led and will closely consider all appropriate legislation, including relating to hate crimes."
BBC regrets not stopping Glastonbury livestream
Earlier, the BBC said it regretted not stopping the livestream of Bob Vylan's set at Glastonbury, south-west England, after a member of the punk-rap duo led what the broadcaster called antisemitic chants against Israel's military.
The country's national broadcaster's decision to keep the set streaming live was condemned by Starmer, and media regulator Ofcom said the BBC had questions to answer.
The BBC, which broadcasts the annual festival, issued a warning on screen for strong and discriminatory language while the set was being streamed online, but said on Monday it should have gone further.
The Israeli embassy in London also condemned the incident, while Starmer demanded answers from the BBC on "how these scenes came to be broadcast".
'I said what I said'
The rap duo's lead vocalist, who also goes by the stage name Bobby Vylan, wrote on Instagram: "I said what I said," adding he had been "inundated with messages of both support and hatred".
"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 said in the post, apparently in reference to the incident.
Bob Vylan, known for their mix of grime and punk rock, have been outspoken about their support for Palestinians in the past. Their songs tackle a range of issues including racism, homophobia and the class divide.
Political statements by musicians on stage have been in focus since a member of Kneecap was charged with a terrorism offence by UK police in May. Source: Getty / Leon Neal
US revokes visas for Bob Vylan
The United States has revoked visas for Bob Vylan band members following the Glastonbury incident, US deputy secretary of state Christopher Landau said in a post on X.
"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. Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country," the statement said.
The US state department did not immediately provide more details, including the names of those whose visas were revoked and the type of visas they held. Bob Vylan are scheduled to play some concerts in the US in November.
The department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters at a regular news briefing that the incident violated the standard for whom the US wants to let into the country.
