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The BBC’s Executive Complaints Unit (ECU) has determined that the broadcast of Bob Vylan’s Glastonbury performance violated editorial guidelines regarding harm and offense.
However, the corporation has been cleared of breaching impartiality rules and regulations against inciting crime in relation to the incident.
During their set, which was live-streamed on iPlayer, the punk duo led a chant of “death, death to the IDF [Israel Defence Forces]” and made other controversial statements.
The ruling follows an investigation by the BBC’s ECU into four complaints, which have been partially upheld.
The BBC’s handling of Bob Vylan’s performance at the festival in June, which was available via iPlayer, drew significant criticism.
BBC chairman Samir Shah stated that the decision not to halt the live feed after the on-stage remarks was “unquestionably an error of judgement.”
Director General Tim Davie apologized, saying: “I deeply regret that such offensive and deplorable behaviour appeared on the BBC.”
The BBC complaints unit cited chants against the IDF, the use of slogans “From the river to the sea” and “Free, free Palestine,” and abusive references to a record company executive employing offensive language towards “Zionists” as the reasons for breaching harm and offense guidelines.
The ruling stated that the latter segment violated guidance that prohibits “unduly intimidating, humiliating, intrusive, aggressive or derogatory remarks aimed at real people.”
The comments, “taken in the round”, could “fairly be characterised as antisemitic”, the ruling said.
However, the ECU did not find that the performance violated guidelines concerning the encouragement or incitement of crime.
The ruling stated: “References to ‘Free Palestine’ and ‘From the river to the sea’, while viewed by some as implying the disappearance of the state of Israel, can also be regarded as no more than expressions of support for aspirations to a Palestinian state and do not of themselves threaten violent action.”
While acknowledging the chant of “Death, death to the IDF” was “clearly more problematic… it is directed at an institution rather than individuals, and one which is not defined by ethnic or religious composition,” the ECU stated.
Regarding impartiality, the ECU held that coverage of a music festival does not require the same level of scrutiny as news or current affairs programming.
“While recognising there is widespread disagreement with the political views expressed by Bob Vylan on this occasion, the ECU did not consider they represented a breach of the BBC’s standards of impartiality in this context,” it stated.
In July, the corporation conceded that errors were made both before and during the group’s performance.
The band was classified as “high risk,” resulting in monitoring of the feed and on-screen warnings. However, the broadcast was not stopped after the comments in question were made.
Following the festival, a number of senior staff stepped back from their responsibilities in music and live events, and the BBC announced adjustments to its approach to streaming music performances.
Avon and Somerset Police initiated an investigation into the band’s comments.
Following the festival, Bob Vylan issued a statement stating: “We are not for the death of Jews, Arabs or any other race or group of people. We are for the dismantling of a violent military machine”.
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