The UK’s chief rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, has strongly criticized the BBC for airing anti-Semitic chants during a live broadcast of Bob Vylan’s performance at the Glastonbury Festival. The singer led the crowd in chants of “death, death to the IDF,” prompting widespread condemnation.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy expressed concern over the situation, stating that the BBC must be held to high standards. She called for the corporation to take responsibility for its editorial failures and said she would intervene if necessary.
The BBC initially responded by saying the antisemitic sentiments were “utterly unacceptable” and had no place on their airwaves. However, they have since faced criticism for not pulling the stream during the performance and for lacking a clear plan in place for preventing such incidents in the future.
A police investigation has been launched into performances by both Bob Vylan and Irish-language rap trio Kneecap at Glastonbury on Saturday. The force has appointed a senior detective to investigate whether comments made by either act amounted to a criminal offense.
Both members of Bob Vylan have had their US visas revoked, and the corporation’s director general, Tim Davie, was present at Glastonbury for a few hours on the day of the performance. Media regulator Ofcom has also issued a statement expressing concern over the live stream and calling for further information about the BBC’s editorial guidelines.
The incident has sparked a debate about the role of free speech versus hate speech, with some arguing that the BBC should have taken greater action to prevent the broadcast. Others have criticized the punk duo for their anti-Semitic chants, but many are now focused on holding the BBC accountable for its handling of the situation.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c70rrld1nlpo