What was meant to be a weekend of music, peace, and unity at Glastonbury has exploded into a full-blown national controversy.
The BBC is at the centre of fierce backlash after it live-streamed a pro-Palestinian punk act, Bob Vylan, whose lead singer led the crowd in a series of inflammatory chants, including one that called for the death of Israeli soldiers.
The moment, which aired on BBC iPlayer and reached thousands of viewers, has drawn condemnation from both UK and Israeli government officials—and sparked a police investigation.
Punk Band Sparks Outrage With Live Chant
During their performance on the West Holts stage, Bob Vylan’s frontman—known only as Bobby Vylan—shouted “death, death to the IDF” to a crowd of around 30,000.
He also repeated phrases like “free, free Palestine” and the controversial slogan “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” which many in the Jewish community view as a call for the destruction of Israel.
Despite knowing their performance was being live-streamed by the BBC, the singer showed little hesitation, even mocking the broadcast: “We have to be careful—it’s live on the BBC,” he said, before launching into the chants anyway.
BBC Slammed for Delayed Reaction
The most shocking part for many wasn’t just what was said—but that the BBC allowed the broadcast to continue for another 40 minutes before cutting it.
A warning for strong and discriminatory language did appear on screen, but that did little to calm the criticism that followed.
Eventually, the BBC pulled the performance from its streaming platform, but by then the damage was done.
Government officials, including Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, have demanded answers from BBC leadership about how the incident was allowed to unfold.
Government and Israeli Officials Demand Accountability
The backlash has been swift and widespread.
A spokesperson for the UK government said the performance’s message was “threatening” and “completely unacceptable.”
Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel didn’t hold back either, accusing the BBC of double standards.
“If a performer had shouted anti-Muslim or far-Right hate speech, the BBC would have pulled the feed immediately,” she said.
“Because the target was Israel, and Jews, it was tolerated. This is incitement.”
Police Now Investigating Possible Criminal Offence
Avon and Somerset Police have confirmed they are reviewing footage of the incident to determine whether the band’s statements breached laws around incitement to violence or hate speech.
Conservative MP Greg Stafford and trade envoy Lord Ian Austin both called for the band members to be arrested if found guilty.
Band’s Identity and History Add Fuel to the Fire
Bob Vylan, known for their anti-establishment views and refusal to reveal their real names, describe themselves as “the UK’s most violent boy band.”
Their frontman says he’s been politically active since age 15 and has attended pro-Palestinian protests for years.
He also took a swipe at music industry figures who had tried to stop the Northern Irish rap group Kneecap from performing, calling them “Zionists.”
Glastonbury’s Statement and More Performer Controversy
Festival organisers have attempted to distance themselves from the controversy, stating that while all are welcome, they “do not condone hate speech or incitement to violence.”
But the controversy didn’t stop with Bob Vylan.
Kneecap, who followed the punk act on the same stage, also made headlines—starting their set by yelling “F*** Keir Starmer,” voicing support for Palestine Action (a group the UK government wants to label as a terrorist organisation), and encouraging crowds to protest outside court at a future hearing related to terror charges against one of their members.
Former BBC Figures and Ministers Speak Out
Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative Party leader, called Bob Vylan’s comments “grotesque,” slamming the cultural elite for tolerating antisemitic speech under the guise of protest.
Danny Cohen, former director of BBC Television, criticised the broadcaster’s failure to anticipate such a risk.
“The BBC should have known this could happen and put safeguards in place.
It’s another example of management being out of touch with their responsibility to Britain’s Jewish community,” he said.
Gary Lineker Joins Chorus With His Own Message
Even BBC figureheads got involved.
Former Match of the Day host Gary Lineker, who appeared at a discussion event at Glastonbury, also voiced support for the Palestinian cause, urging people to “Free Palestine” and questioning the BBC’s impartiality on the issue.
BBC Responds After Pulling Set From iPlayer
In response to the uproar, the BBC issued a statement acknowledging the offensive content.
“Some of the comments made during Bob Vylan’s set were deeply offensive,” the statement read.
They added that the performance would not be available on-demand and that a visible warning was provided during the stream.
However, for many—including those in Parliament and the wider Jewish community—this response has come far too late, and they are demanding the BBC take stronger, more immediate action to prevent similar incidents in the future.
