Members of the British rap punk duo Bob Vylan found their visas to the United States revoked and found themselves under the scrutiny of local law enforcement after inciting a crowd to chant "death" to Israel's military at a UK music festival last weekend. On Monday, US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau announced that the State Department had "withdrawn the US visas of Bob Vylan band members in response to their hateful tirade at Glastonbury, where they led the audience in chanting for death against the IDF (Israel Defense Forces)." He further emphasized on X that "foreigners who extol violence and hatred are unwelcome in our nation."
According to an Instagram post, the group had been scheduled to embark on a US tour starting in late October. The US State Department has adopted an aggressive visa restriction and revocation policy aimed at those allegedly supporting terrorism and anti-Semitism.
On Saturday, rapper Bobby Vylan took to the third-largest stage, West Holts, at the Glastonbury Festival, shouting "Free, free Palestine," before inciting the crowd to chant against the Israeli military. Videos captured the rapper shouting into the microphone, "Alright, but have you heard this one? Death, death to the IDF." The artist performed in front of a screen displaying a message: "The United Nations have deemed it a genocide. The BBC calls it a 'conflict,'" referring to the UK's public broadcaster that was live-streaming the festival.
In an Instagram post captioned "I said what I said" on Sunday, Bobby Vylan revealed that he had received a mix of supportive and hateful messages following the performance. "Teaching our children to advocate for the change they desire and need is the only way to make this world a better place," the post read. "As we age and our passion potentially wanes under the weight of adult life and its responsibilities, it is crucial that we inspire future generations to carry the torch passed down to us."
Bob Vylan's chants at the festival sparked outrage among senior British officials, prompting British police to review video footage of their set. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that "there is no excuse for this kind of appalling hate speech." The Israeli Embassy in the UK expressed its "deep disturbance" over what it termed "inflammatory and hateful" rhetoric at the festival.
A BBC spokesperson told CNN on Sunday that some of the comments made during Vylan's performance were "deeply offensive." The broadcaster had streamed the rapper's set live but had no plans to make it available on demand through its iPlayer streaming platform. On Monday, the BBC admitted that "with hindsight," Vylan's performance should have been pulled from airwaves during the performance, stating that the corporation "respects freedom of expression but stands firmly against incitement to violence." "The antisemitic sentiments expressed by Bob Vylan were utterly unacceptable and have no place on our airwaves," it added.
Bob Vylan's music blends various genres with lyrics often confronting social issues such as racism, sexism, and economic inequality. Ahead of the five-day music festival, all eyes were on the Irish-language hip-hop trio Kneecap, following band member Liam O'Hanna – who performs under the stage name Mo Chara – being charged last month with a terrorism offense after an investigation by London's Metropolitan Police. The charge, which he has denied, relates to a London gig in November 2024 where he allegedly displayed a Hezbollah flag, a terrorist organization banned under UK law. Ahead of the festival at Worthy Farm, Starmer deemed it "inappropriate" for the group to perform.
While performing on the same stage Saturday afternoon, Chara told the crowds that recent events had been "stressful" but paled in comparison to "what the Palestinian people are enduring." Kneecap rapper Naoise Ó Cairealláin, who goes by the stage name Móglaí Bap, retaliated against Starmer's comment during Saturday's set: "The Prime Minister of your country, not mine, said he didn't want us to play, so f**k Keir Starmer."
Police in Somerset, where the festival is held, stated on Monday that after reviewing video and audio footage of both bands' performances, they determined that "further inquiries are necessary" and initiated a criminal investigation into the matter. The investigation is in its early stages, police said, adding that authorities "will carefully consider all appropriate legislation, including those relating to hate crimes."
