Punk group Bob Vylan have posted a fresh statement addressing the controversy surrounding comments they made about the Israel Defence Force during their Glastonbury performance on Saturday (28 June).
During the set, rapper Bobby Vylan led crowds at the festival’s West Holts Stage in chants of “free, free Palestine” and then: “Death, death to the IDF [Israel Defence Forces].”
The performance from the duo, who go by the names Bobby Vylan and Bobbie Vylan, was broadcast live by the BBC. Police have now said they are assessing the comments to decide whether any offences have been committed.
In a new statement on the situation, posted on Instagram on Tuesday (1 July) and captioned “Silence is not an option”, the group claimed they were being “targeted for speaking up” and that the row 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,” the statement said. “Last week it was a Palestine pressure group, the week before that it was another band.
“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. And whatever sanctions we receive will be a distraction.”
They continued: “The government doesn’t want us to ask why they remain silent in the face of this atrocity? To ask why they aren’t doing more to stop the killing? To feed the starving?
“The more time they talk about Bob Vylan, the less time they spend answering for their criminal inaction. We are being targeted for speaking up. We are not the first. We will not be the last. And if you care for the sanctity of human life and freedom of speech, we urge you to speak up too. Free Palestine.”
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On Saturday, Glastonbury Festival organisers said they were “appalled’’ by Vylan’s comment, adding that they “very much crossed a line”.
Meanwhile, prime minister Keir Starmer said: “There is no excuse for this kind of appalling hate speech.
“I said that Kneecap should not be given a platform and that goes for any other performers making threats or inciting violence.
“The BBC needs to explain how these scenes came to be broadcast.”
It has since been reported by Deadline that United Talent Agency (UTA) have dropped the band over the backlash. The agency appear to have scrubbed the act from their official website. The Independent has contacted UTA for comment.
