Bob Vylan have been kicked off the lineups of multiple European festivals after they led the crowd in pro-Palestinian and anti-Israeli military chants during their Glastonbury set.
The punk duo were scheduled to headline the Radar festival at Manchester’s Victoria Warehouse on Saturday before the organisers announced they “will not be appearing”.
In the course of their performance on 28 June, Bobby Vylan led a Glastonbury crowd in chants of “Free, free Palestine” and “Death, death to the IDF”, referring to the Israeli military.
The band responded in an Instagram Story: “Silence is not an option. We will be fine, the people of Palestine are hurting. Manchester we will be back.”
Bob Vylan were also set to play at the French music festival Kave Fest on Sunday and open for Gogol Bordello in Germany later this year. Both appearances have been cancelled.
“The band Bob Vylan will not be performing as the opening act on 13 September 2025 at the Live Music Hall,” the German venue said on their Instagram.
Kave Fest said that “in light of recent events, Bob Vylan have been dropped by their agent”.
“The Eure department and the city of Gisors have informed us they will oppose Bob Vylan’s presence at Kave Fest,” the festival wrote on their Instagram.
“This is forcing us to cancel Bob Vylan’s appearance at Kave Fest this year. We fully support freedom of expression for ALL artists around the world. Our thoughts are with the victims of war in Palestine and their families. We stand firmly against all acts of war and hatred.”
The performance by the punk duo, who go by the names Bobby Vylan and Bobbie Vylan, was broadcast live on the BBC but the corporation later said it “should have pulled” the coverage. In the aftermath, Avon and Somerset Police confirmed they were assessing videos of both Bob Vylan and Kneecap’s performances at the festival.
Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music
Sign up now for a 30-day free trial. Terms apply.
Try for free
ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music
Sign up now for a 30-day free trial. Terms apply.
Try for free
ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
Glastonbury organisers said they were “appalled’’ by the chant against the Israeli military which “very much crossed a line”.
In a statement posted on Instagram on Tuesday and captioned “Silence is not an option”, Bob Vylan claimed they were being “targeted for speaking up” and that the row over their chants was a “distraction” from the real issue.
“Today, a good many people would have you believe a punk band is the number one threat to world peace. Last week it was a Palestine pressure group, the week before that it was another band,” they said.
“We are not for the death of Jews, Arabs or any other race or group of people. We are for the dismantling of a violent military machine. A machine whose own soldiers were told to use ‘unnecessary lethal force’ against innocent civilians waiting for aid. A machine that has destroyed much of Gaza. We, like those in the spotlight before us, are not the story.
“We are a distraction from the story,” they added in the statement. “And whatever sanctions we receive will be a distraction.”
It was reported on Monday by Deadline that United Talent Agency had dropped the band after their Glastonbury set.
The agency appears to have scrubbed the act from their official website.
The Independent has contacted the agency for comment.
Earlier this week, American officials revoked the punk duo’s visas ahead of their tour of the country because of what deputy secretary of state Christopher Landau called “their hateful tirade at Glastonbury”.
