Artists under investigation after Glastonbury sets
Two politically charged performances at this year’s Glastonbury Festival have triggered a criminal investigation by U.K. police and led to the revocation of U.S. visas for one of the acts.
Police confirmed Monday that performances by British rap-punk duo Bob Vylan and Irish-language group Kneecap have been logged as a public order incident, after both acts led crowds in pro-Palestinian chants.
Bob Vylan, in particular, drew heavy criticism for urging chants of “Free Palestine” and “Death to the IDF” — a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
The controversy has sparked widespread political and diplomatic fallout. The U.S. State Department announced it has revoked Bob Vylan’s visas, calling the group’s actions a “hateful tirade.” U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said in a social media post, “Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer joined the condemnation, calling the incident “appalling hate speech” and demanded that the BBC explain how the performance was broadcast live on its platforms. The broadcaster later issued a statement expressing “regret” for airing the show and condemned the “antisemitic sentiments,” while Ofcom, the U.K.`s media regulator, said it is “very concerned” and will seek further explanation.
In a social media post, Bob Vylan’s frontman Bobby Vylan responded to the backlash, stating he had received a flood of both support and hate:
“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 wrote.
Kneecap, who performed immediately after Bob Vylan, also led large crowds in chants of “Free Palestine” and launched a profanity-laced tirade against Prime Minister Starmer. The band has previously drawn controversy for its political stances. Member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, known as Mo Chara, was charged under the U.K.`s Terrorism Act in 2023 for allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag at a London concert. Starmer had earlier suggested Kneecap should not have been booked to perform at Glastonbury.
The Israeli Embassy in London said it was “deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric” at the festival.
This year’s Glastonbury featured more than 4,000 acts performing for around 200,000 attendees in Somerset.