British punk-rap duo Bob Vylan’s performance at the annual Glastonbury Festival has sparked a criminal investigation and visa revocation in the US after its lead singer led chants against the Israeli military during a live broadcast. The BBC had previously warned viewers about “very strong and discriminatory” language, but critics say the broadcaster should have taken further action.
Bob Vylan’s performance was met with criticism from top politicians, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who described the comments as “appalling hate speech”. The BBC has since apologized for not pulling away from the livestream and stated that it respects freedom of expression while standing against incitement to violence.
The controversy surrounding Bob Vylan’s performance is also linked to Irish-language hip-hop band Kneecap, which was initially barred from broadcasting its own Glastonbury performance live due to a band member’s past terrorism offense. The police have launched an investigation into both acts for potential hate crimes and incitement to violence.
Glastonbury festival organizers expressed their “appalled” stance towards Bob Vylan’s comments, while the US Deputy Secretary of State has stated that the members of Bob Vylan would face visa revocation due to glorifying violence and hatred.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2025/06/30/g-s1-75284/glastonbury-bob-vylan-kneecap-investigation