Both bands performed in front of huge crowds at the West Holts stage on Saturday afternoon and criticised the BBC, the government and Israel’s military actions in Gaza during their set
Videos from Bob Vylan and Kneecap’s politically charged Glastonbury performances are to be invested by police — after crowds chanted pro-Palestinian slogans during the shows. Punk duo Bob Vylan led chants of “Death, Death to the IDF” during their set while fans watching them and Irish rapper Kneecap chanted “Free, Free Palestine”.
Kneecap member JJ O Dochartaigh, who performs under the name DJ Provai, wore a t-shirt that read “We are all Palestine Action”, in reference to the campaign group set to be proscribed as a terror organisation. The band also said Irish republican slogan “Tiocfaidh ar la” — “Our day will come” — as they left the stage, which was coined during the Troubles in the 1970s and is often credited to IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands.
In a post on social media Avon and Somerset Police said: “We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon.
“Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation.”
London punk group Bob Vylan left Beeb bosses red faced as they performed in front of a backdrop which read: “Free Palestine. The United Nations have called it a genocide. The BBC calls it a ‘conflict’.”
The corporation had earlier announced it would not stream Kneecap’s set live on iPlayer amid fears of what they might say. A final decision on whether it will be shown later is yet to be made.
Bob Vylan’s tirade also prompted fury from supporters of Israel on social media, who dubbed it a ‘hate fest’. The BBC said the set would not be re-broadcast on iPlayer. A spokesperson said: “Some of the comments made during Bob Vylan’s set were deeply offensive.
“During this live stream on iPlayer, which reflected what was happening on stage, a warning was issued on screen about the very strong and discriminatory language. We have no plans to make the performance available on demand.”
A Government spokesperson said: “We strongly condemn the threatening comments made by Bob Vylan at Glastonbury. The Culture Secretary has spoken to the BBC Director General to seek an urgent explanation about what due diligence it carried out ahead of the Bob Vylan performance, and welcomes the decision not to re-broadcast it on BBC iPlayer.”
During Kneecap’s set, band member Mo Chara, real name Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, wore a keffiyeh during the and told fans: “The Prime Minister of your country, not mine, said he didn’t want us to play, so f*** Keir Starmer.”
Sir Keir had previously said it was “not appropriate” for Kneecap to perform at Glastonbury after bandmember Ó hAnnaidh , 27, was charged with a terror offence.
He appeared before Westminster Magistrates’ Court charged with allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah and granted unconditional bail earlier this month.
He told fans as he took to the stage: “Glastonbury, I’m a free man.” And he later thanked the Eavis family for not cancelling the band’s set.
The Israeli Embassy in the UK said on Twitter that it was “deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival”.
It added: “Chants such as “Death to the IDF,” and “From the river to the sea” are slogans that advocate for the dismantling of the State of Israel and implicitly call for the elimination of Jewish self-determination.
“When such messages are delivered before tens of thousands of festivalgoers and met with applause, it raises serious concerns about the normalisation of extremist language and the glorification of violence.
“We call on Glastonbury Festival organisers, artists, and public leaders in the UK to denounce this rhetoric and reject of all forms of hatred.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
