The BBC expressed regret over its decision not to cut the live broadcast of punk-rap act Bob Vylan during their Glastonbury set, after the duo’s performance included anti-Israel chants that drew harsh criticism, including from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The controversy erupted when a member of Bob Vylan led the festival crowd in shouting “Death, death to the IDF,” shortly after the chant “Free, free Palestine.” The Israel Defense Forces were directly targeted in the performance, which was aired live on Saturday, leading to immediate backlash.
Although the BBC displayed a warning during the stream, acknowledging the sensitivity of the content, it admitted on Monday that it had not gone far enough in managing the broadcast.
“The comments were ‘utterly unacceptable and have no place on our airwaves,’” the BBC said in a formal statement.
“The team were dealing with a live situation, but with hindsight, we should have pulled the stream during the performance,” the statement continued. “We regret this did not happen.”
The broadcaster said it plans to review its internal policies regarding live programming to ensure future coverage avoids similar incidents. The Bob Vylan set was also withheld from being posted on the BBC’s on-demand platforms.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer weighed in on the incident, condemning the broadcast. “There is no excuse for this kind of appalling hate speech,” he stated.
“I said that Kneecap should not be given a platform and that goes for any other performers making threats or inciting violence,” Starmer added. “The BBC needs to explain how these scenes came to be broadcast.”
Law enforcement also began examining the incident. Avon and Somerset Police confirmed on Saturday that officers would review available footage “to determine whether any offenses may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation.”
The investigation also includes scrutiny of remarks by the Irish rap group Kneecap, one of whose members performed in a shirt bearing support for the Palestine Action Group, an organization that is reportedly on the verge of being banned under UK terrorism legislation.
Festival organizers condemned Bob Vylan’s remarks and distanced themselves from the rhetoric. “The Glastonbury Festival was ‘appalled’ by the anti-Israel chants in Bob Vylan’s set,” they said in a public statement.
“Their chants very much crossed a line, and we are urgently reminding everyone involved in the production of the festival that there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech, or incitement to violence,” the organizers added.
Despite some performers expressing anti-Israel views, certain festivalgoers chose to counter that narrative. Amid a sea of flags, a staple of Glastonbury tradition, several attendees raised banners calling attention to the Israeli hostages captured by Hamas during the brutal assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which marked the beginning of the current conflict in Gaza.
{Matzav.com}