US to revoke Bob Vylan’s visas after Glastonbury chants

Band’s anti-Israel stance causes international furore

The United States said on Monday it was revoking visas for the British punk-rap group Bob Vylan which led a chant at the Glastonbury festival calling for death to the Israeli military.

“Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country,” Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau posted on X.

British public broadcaster the BBC apologised on Monday for not pulling a live stream of a punk-rap group’s performance at the Glastonbury festival when they made anti-Israel remarks. “With hindsight we should have pulled the stream during the performance. We regret this did not happen,” the broadcaster said of Bob Vylan’s show, in which the group led the crowds in chants of “Death to the IDF”, the initials of the Israeli military.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said afterwards there was “no excuse for this kind of appalling hate speech”.

The BBC said that “millions of people” watched its coverage of the festival “but one performance within our livestreams included comments that were deeply offensive”.

“The BBC respects freedom of expression but stands firmly against incitement to violence,” it added.

“The antisemitic sentiments expressed by Bob Vylan were utterly unacceptable and have no place on our airwaves.”

Media watchdog Ofcom warned Monday that it was “very concerned” and that the BBC had questions to answer.

“We have been speaking to the BBC over the weekend and we are obtaining further information as a matter of urgency,” it added.

Kneecap recap

Controversy descended on this year’s event before it even began over the inclusion of Irish rap trio Kneecap, one of whose members was recently charged under terror legislation.

During their show on Saturday, one Kneecap member wore a T-shirt dedicated to the Palestine Action Group, which is about to be banned under UK terror laws.

The chants about Israel’s military were led by Bob Vylan’s frontman Bobby Vylan, and were broadcast live on the BBC.

Glastonbury’s organisers said the comments had “very much crossed a line”.

“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 festival said in a statement.