Bob Vylan, an English punk duo based in London, sparked controversy at this year’s Glastonbury Festival following a politically charged performance that included what some have described as antisemitic chants.
Despite neither member of the duo being Jewish or Palestinian, much of their set focused on the war in Gaza. The frontman led the crowd in chants including “Death, death, to the IDF” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine must be free.”
The duo also performed a song titled <em>I Heard You Want Your Country Back</em>, which protests far right rhetoric and demonstrations that have emerged across the UK in recent years, often under the slogan “We want our country back”.
However, Bob Vylan’s own lyrics have drawn criticism for racial overtones, referring to right wing groups as “gammon”, a term considered by many to be a racially derogatory slur aimed at white, particularly white working class, people.
The duo’s frontman also praised “Kneecap”, an Irish hip hop trio from Belfast who also performed at Glastonbury this year. Videos from 2023 show a member of Kneecap saying “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.” In November 2024, another video emerged of a band member chanting “Up Hamas, up Hezbollah” while draped in a Hezbollah flag. That individual was subsequently charged under the Terrorism Act 2006 for supporting a proscribed terrorist organisation.
There were calls for Kneecap to be dropped from this year’s line-up amid ongoing controversy. However, Glastonbury organiser Emily Eavis defended the decision, stating: “We remain a platform for many, many artists from all over the world and, you know, everyone is welcome here.”
Kneecap were refused live coverage by the BBC. Explaining its decision, the broadcaster said: “Whilst the BBC doesn’t ban artists, our plans ensure that our programming meets our editorial guidelines.”
Over 56,500 Palestinians have been killed and more than 133,000 injured since the war began on 7 October 2023, when Hamas-led militants killed approximately 1,139 people in Israel and took around 250 hostages.
Following backlash, Eavis issued a statement condemning Bob Vylan’s performance: “We are appalled by the statements made from the West Holts stage by Bob Vylan yesterday. 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.”
While there has been widespread outrage across the political spectrum at the actions of the Israeli state in Gaza, some have argued that the disproportionate focus on Israel indicates a bias that strays into antisemitism. Recognised genocides in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar rarely receive significant public attention, particularly within left wing activism.
(Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)
.jpg)
