Punk duo Bob Vylan led crowds in chants of ‘Free Palestine’ and ‘Death to the IDF’ on Saturday, prompting fury from supporters of Israel on social media.
The English group was performing directly before Irish language rap trio Kneecap, who the BBC refused to show live after a number of controversial incidents including one of its members being charged with a terror offence.
Kneecap has faced calls in recent months to be stripped from the festival line-up, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer calling their performance ‘not appropriate’.
Mo Chara, along with bandmates Naoise Ó Caireallain (Móglaí Bap), and JJ Ó Dochartaigh (DJ Próvaí), have repeatedly argued controversy surrounding their performances is a distraction from the horrors endured by Palestinians amid Israel’s war in Gaza.
They said they are happy to lose income and clout in order to be ‘on the right side of history’, and said they hoped that ‘being vocal and being unafraid’ would encourage other bands to speak up on Palestine.
Kneecap member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, 27, appeared in court last week after being charged for allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah while saying ‘up Hamas, up Hezbollah’ at a gig in November last year.
The BBC previously confirmed it would not livestream Kneecap’s performance but would likely upload an edited version on iPlayer later – but if it hoped to avoid controversy over the war in Gaza bosses will be disappointed.
In the act just before Kneecap, singer/guitarist Bobby Vylan and drummer Bobbie Vylan, who founded their band in 2017 in Ipswich, flashed up a large message in support of Palestinians while their set was being broadcast live by the BBC.
The Glastonbury crowd was led in chants of ‘Free Palestine’ and ‘Death to the IDF’ by act Bob Vylan on Saturday, prompting fury from supporters of Israel on social media
The English punk duo were performing directly before Irish language rap trio Kneecap
The chants whipped up anger from some viewers at home
The message read: ‘Free Palestine. United Nations have called it a genocide. The BBC calls it a “conflict”.’
They then led the huge crowd in chants of ‘Free Free Palestine’ and ‘Death Death to the IDF’.
Afterwards singer Bob Vylan told fans: ‘From the river to the sea Palestine must be, will be, free.’
Although met by raucous cheers and applause from the audience, the chant also sparked fury from some online.
One person said: ‘A shame he doesn’t feel so strongly about the terrorists who killed music festivalgoers on Oct 7th.’
A second added: ‘Isn’t it supposed to be a music content?’
A third described the band as ‘incredibly cringe’ and accused them of ‘jumping on the bandwagon’.
The current war in Gaza was triggered by an attack by terrorist organisation Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023 in which some 1,200 people were killed and took more than 251 people hostage.
In response Israel launched a full-scale invasion of the Gaza strip which has lasted almost two years and has led to the deaths of at least 56,412 people, many children and civilians.
The United Nations has said Israel’s actions, which include severely limited vital aid such as food, water and medical supplies into the Gaza Strip and raiding or bombing hospitals as ‘consistent with the characteristics of Genocide’.
An international arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also been issued by the International Criminal Court.
The duo were seen crowdsurfing during their energetic performance on the West Holts stage
One of the Bob Vylans waves a Palestine flag during their Glastonbury set
The West Holts stage area was rammed with fans for Bob Vylan’s set, with Kneecap expected immediately afterwards
In the act just before Kneecap, singer/guitarist Bobby Vylan and drummer Bobbie Vylan, who founded their band in 2017 in Ipswich, flashed up a large message in support of Palestinians while their set was being broadcast live by the BBC
Performing on stage earlier, singer Bob Vylan was open about his and his bandmate’s support for Palestinians
Many people in the crowd gathered for Bob Vylan’s performance waved Palestinian flags in a show of support with people in Gaza
Israel denies it is committing genocide and claims there is no food shortage for the two million Gazans who live in the strip, something that is widely disputed by aid organisations and international bodies, which have warned thousands of babies are at risk of dying of famine.
Performing on stage earlier, singer Bob Vylan was open about his and his bandmate’s support for Palestinians.
He said: ‘Recently a list was released of people trying to stop our mates Kneecap from performing here today. And who do I see on that f***ing list, but that bald-headed c*** I used to f***ing work for.’
Vylan had been speaking about a colleague at a record company he used to work at.
His words were met with loud boos from the crowd.
He continued: ‘So look, we have done it all, from working in bars to working or f***ing Zionists.
‘So if we can do this, you can do absolutely anything that you put your mind to I’m telling you this.
‘Don’t give up on your dreams, and if you’ve got to go to that s***ty job to pay your bills and pay your rent you do what you’ve got to do to survive in this world.’
Later during a break between songs, the singer said: ‘We’re seeing some f***ed up things in the world. We’re seeing the UK and the US be complicit in war crimes and genocide happening over there to the Palestinian people.
‘And I know we’re on the BBC, we’re not going to say anything crazy. Leave that for them lads, you know what I mean.
‘But unfortunately we have seen a strange reaction to people that come out and voice support for Palestine. Even though anybody with any moral compass can surely see that what is happening over there in Gaza is a tragedy.
‘We are not pacifist punks here over at Bob Vylan Enterprises. We are the violent punks, because sometimes, you have to get your message across with violence because that is the only language some people speak.’
