Government condemns Glastonbury chants aired live on BBC

The recent performance by rap punk duo Bob Vylan at Glastonbury Festival has sparked controversy, with the government strongly condemning the chants calling for “death” to the Israeli military. The duo’s set, which included chants of “free, free Palestine” and “death, death to the IDF [Israel Defense Forces]”, was broadcast live on the BBC just before Belfast rap trio Kneecap took the stage. The BBC labeled some of the comments as “deeply offensive” and issued a warning on screen about the “very strong and discriminatory language” used. As a result, the set will not be available for rewatch on BBC iPlayer.

In response to Bob Vylan’s performance, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy contacted BBC director general Tim Davie seeking an explanation regarding the broadcaster’s due diligence prior to airing the act. The government welcomed the decision not to re-broadcast the performance on BBC iPlayer. Bob Vylan’s set on the West Holts stage was followed by a performance from Irish-language rap group Kneecap, known for their provocative style. The group has faced controversy before, with member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh being charged with a terrorism offence for allegedly displaying the flag of proscribed terrorist organization Hezbollah at a previous gig.

Kneecap’s performance at Glastonbury, which featured expletive-laden chants directed at Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, attracted widespread attention. Following the sets from Bob Vylan and Kneecap, Avon and Somerset Police announced that they would be reviewing footage of the comments made by acts on the West Holts stage. The police stated that the footage would be assessed to determine if any criminal offenses had been committed, warranting a criminal investigation. Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, also known as Mo Chara, is currently on bail after a court hearing in London

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