Cliff Notes – The duo who stood against genocide at Glastonbury
- Bob Vylan’s performance at Glastonbury sparked controversy for anti-IDF chants.
- Leading to condemnation from festival organiser Emily Eavis, following funding threats
- Police are currently investigating footage of the performance.
- Leading group of lawyers have said there was no criminal offence was committed.
- The duo, comprising Bobby and Bobbie Vylan, are known for confronting social issues through their music and have been outspoken about political matters, including the genocide in Gaza.
- Past chants at Glastonbury have been in support of Charlie Hebdo, Islamophobic chants, UK immigration, and anti-Nazi chants. These were never questioned
Who are Bob Vylan – the duo who ‘very much crossed the line’ at Glastonbury with anti-genocide chants?
Musicians, especially punk acts, making headlines for their politics is nothing new. The backlash has come from Israeli MPs.
The Sex Pistols, The Clash, Rage Against The Machine – in 2025, it’s Kneecap and now Bob Vylan riling politicians, who do not have a stance against genocide except to taint everything with the Anti-semitic slur.
Chants made by Bob Vylan – cheered by the public
But in the case of chants made by Bob Vylan on stage at Glastonbury, it is not just MPs. Festival organiser Emily Eavis came out and condemned the comments, after funders threatened to cut funding, despite the festival’s advocacy for free speech, saying they “very much crossed a line”, but her team, that we spoke to, said it does not go against the festival’s policies.
Police are investigating footage of the performance, which has since been removed by the BBC, at the request of the Home Office, to see if any offences were committed.
Kneecap rapper Mo Chara says he’s a ‘free man’ as band draw huge Glastonbury crowd
The chants were harsh and expletive, but were not racist; they were similar to the anti-Gestapo chants and sentiments after the Second World War.
This questions the concept of free speech; lawmakers, funded by the Israeli lobbies, will be working behind the scenes to force a criminal prosecution. Vociferously, the politicians will be condemning these chants because they were targeted against Israel.
This raises a question for society, which must question, MPs are working for their constituents or for Israel.
Formed in Ipswich in 2017, the duo who stood against genocide at Glastonbury tuned into the sentiment in the crowd. Raising awareness of a social injustice. Following on from the likes of Ricky Gervais, who mocked and insulted Hollywood on issues of pedophilia and racism, without any penalisation.
