The Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom has issued a strong condemnation of what he described as “vile Jew-hate at Glastonbury,” following the BBC’s live broadcast of Bob Vylan’s performance. During the set, the band’s singer led the crowd in chants of “death, death to the IDF [Israel Defense Forces].”
Sir Ephraim Mirvis stated on X, formerly Twitter, “This is a time of national shame. The airing of vile Jew-hatred at Glastonbury and the BBC’s belated and mishandled response, brings confidence in our national broadcaster’s ability to treat antisemitism seriously to a new low.”
He continued, “It should trouble all decent people that now, one need only couch their outright incitement to violence and hatred as edgy political commentary, for ordinary people to not only fail to see it for what it is, but also to cheer it, chant it and celebrate it. Toxic Jew-hatred is a threat to our entire society.”
Addressing Parliament on Monday, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy voiced her concerns, stating, regarding the BBC: “When there is one editorial failure, it is something that must be gripped; where there are several, it becomes a problem of leadership.”
“This government supports the BBC… that is why we are so disappointed that this has happened and have been so exasperated with the lack of account from the leadership not just about this, but about a previous Gaza documentary and a number of other issues,” she added.
“The BBC is one of the most important institutions in our country and that is why it is held to the highest of standards.”
Bob Vylan posted a statement on Instagram on Monday, asserting: “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,” the band stated.
The statement also claimed that “we, like those in the spotlight before us, are not the story. We are a distraction from the story, and whatever sanctions we receive will be a distraction.”
BBC Director General Tim Davie was present at Glastonbury for a portion of the day of Bob Vylan’s performance.
The corporation stated that he was “informed of the incident and at that point he was clear it should not feature in any other Glastonbury coverage.”
Earlier on Monday, the BBC acknowledged: “The team were dealing with a live situation but with hindsight we should have pulled the stream during the performance. We regret this did not happen.”
The BBC further stated that it would “look at our guidance around live events so we can be sure teams are clear on when it is acceptable to keep output on air,” and characterized the remarks made during the performance as antisemitic.
The BBC’s editorial guidelines stipulate that editors should “assess the risk of a problem arising in our live output,” ranging from local radio phone-ins to high-profile events such as music festivals, sporting events, breaking news, or sensitive topics like sieges.
During their set, Bob Vylan’s singer, Pascal Robinson-Foster, who performs under the name Bobby Vylan, also made reference to a former record label executive.
According to the musician, this executive “would speak very strongly about his support for Israel” and signed a letter urging Glastonbury to cancel Irish-language rap trio Kneecap’s performance.
“Who do I see on that list of names but that bald-headed [expletive] I used to work for. We’ve done it all, all right? From working in bars to working for [expletive] Zionists.”
A criminal investigation was initiated on Monday concerning performances by both Bob Vylan and Kneecap at Glastonbury on Saturday, according to Avon and Somerset Police.
Authorities have not specified which portions of Bob Vylan’s or Kneecap’s sets are subject to the criminal investigation.
The police force has appointed a senior detective to investigate whether comments made by either act constitute a criminal offense, following a review of the footage.
A statement added: “This has been recorded as a public order incident at this time while our enquiries are at an early stage.”
It is understood that the US visas for both members of Bob Vylan – who were scheduled to embark on a tour of America later this year – have been revoked.
Ms. Nandy also informed MPs that she immediately contacted the BBC’s Director General following the broadcast of the set.
She indicated that outstanding questions remain, including why the feed “wasn’t immediately cut,” why it was broadcast live “given the concerns regarding other acts in the weeks preceding the festival,” and what due diligence was conducted before deciding to feature Bob Vylan on television.
“When the rights and safety of people and communities are at risk, and when the national broadcaster fails to uphold its own standards, we will intervene,” she added, affirming that she will continue discussions with the BBC in the coming days.
The media regulator Ofcom also issued a statement, saying: “We are very concerned about the live stream of this performance, and the BBC clearly has questions to answer.”
“We have been speaking to the BBC over the weekend and we are obtaining further information as a matter of urgency, including what procedures were in place to ensure compliance with its own editorial guidelines.”
Ofcom’s responsibilities include regulating the BBC’s editorial standards and handling complaints, as well as promoting fair and effective competition.
Ofcom’s broadcast regulations include provisions to protect the public from harmful and/or offensive material.
Their code also addresses the regulation of material likely to incite crime or disorder, reflecting the watchdog’s duty to prohibit the broadcast of this type of programming.
Bob Vylan is scheduled to perform at the Radar festival in Manchester on July 5.
A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson stated: “We are aware that Bob Vylan will be performing in Manchester at the weekend.”
“Greater Manchester is famous for promoting music of all genres and we welcome all artists to our region. However, we will act immediately on any reports of commentary or actions that could be breaking the law.”
Meanwhile, an MP stated on Monday that the controversy surrounding Bob Vylan’s performance at the Glastonbury Festival is a distraction from discussions about the ongoing “actual violence” in Gaza.
Ellie Chowns, Green Party MP for North Herefordshire, who attended the festival to give a talk, emphasized her complete disagreement with the punk duo’s call for “death” to Israeli troops, but criticized the extent of coverage the incident has received.
“Incitement to violence is totally the opposite of my politics and I completely disagree with that: whoever it comes from, wherever it’s done,” she said.
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