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The BBC has admitted it should have cut away from a live broadcast of Bob Vylan’s performance at Glastonbury Festival after the band’s lead singer led the crowd in chanting “death, death to the IDF [Israel Defense Forces]”.
In a statement released on Monday, the BBC acknowledged its mistake, saying: “The team were dealing with a live situation but with hindsight we should have pulled the stream during the performance. We regret this did not happen.” The broadcaster added that it respects freedom of expression but strongly opposes any incitement to violence.
The incident sparked immediate criticism from the UK’s media regulator, Ofcom, which said it had serious concerns about how the performance was handled. Ofcom is now in discussions with the BBC and has requested detailed information about how such comments made it to air during a live broadcast. It is questioning what editorial safeguards were in place to prevent this kind of content.
The Glastonbury organisers also distanced themselves from the band’s remarks. In a statement, they said they were “appalled” by what was said on stage and that the comments “crossed a line”. They added they are reminding all involved in the festival that hate speech, antisemitism, or incitement to violence will not be tolerated.
During their performance on Saturday, Bob Vylan’s singer, who goes by the stage name Bobby Vylan, also led the crowd in chanting “Free, free Palestine” and used the phrase “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” This slogan is highly controversial. Critics argue that it implies the elimination of Israel, while pro-Palestinian supporters say it’s a call to end Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and blockade of Gaza.
Following the performance, the BBC stated the set carried an on-screen warning and confirmed it would not be made available on iPlayer.
The reaction from the UK government was swift. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the remarks “hate speech”, and there has been strong criticism from across the political spectrum. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy reportedly asked BBC director general Tim Davie for an urgent explanation. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp went further, suggesting police should investigate both Bob Vylan and the BBC under the Public Order Act. He called for potential prosecutions.
On Sunday, the band’s singer posted on Instagram, saying “I said what I said.” Though he didn’t refer to the performance directly, he defended the right to speak out on political issues, adding that it is important for young people to see activism on public stages.
Bob Vylan is a punk-rap duo from London, formed in 2017. They have previously performed at major UK festivals like Reading and Leeds and have toured with big bands including The Offspring and Biffy Clyro.
As the backlash continues, the BBC said it is reviewing its guidelines for live event coverage to ensure teams know when it is necessary to take broadcasts off air. A spokesperson for the broadcaster emphasized that antisemitic remarks like those made at Glastonbury are “utterly unacceptable and have no place on our airwaves.”
The incident has reignited debate about the responsibility of broadcasters when airing live performances and the limits of free speech in public settings. The BBC now faces pressure to explain how the performance went unedited and what steps it will take to prevent similar issues in the future.