What's been said as Glastonbury act's 'appalling' anti-Israel chants are probed by police
Glastonbury 2025 is over and out, but the discussion about some of its most controversial moments is only just beginning.
Brits have had plenty to talk about since the music festival at Worthy Farm opened its doors last Wednesday (25 June) - from the surprise drink prices to Lewis Capaldi's heartwarming comeback.
Social media was abuzz as The 1975's highly anticipated headline set left people watching from home feeling underwhelmed, while there was also a lot of online chatter about the 'sparse' crowd that gathered for Neil Young's slot on the Pyramid Stage.
And then there's Charli XCX, who has told fans she 'enjoys the discourse' while responding to criticism about her performance on Saturday night (28 June).
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But it's the behaviour of Bob Vylan - which is currently being probed by the police - which has really got people talking.
One half of the punk pair known as Bobby Vylan made waves on Glastonbury's West Holts Stage on Saturday (28 June) when he led crowds in chants of 'free, free Palestine' and then 'death, death to the IDF'.
Dubbing himself a 'violent punk', the artist told the audience: "Sometimes we have to get our message across with violence because that’s the only language some people speak, unfortunately."
The Prime Minister, politicians, police, festival organisers and even the Israeli embassy have all spoken out about his politically charged comments, and the situation isn't very pretty.
What has PM Keir Starmer said about Bob Vylan?
Sir Keir Starmer slammed the 'Hunger Games' vocalist for subjecting crowds and people tuning into the BBC's Glastonbury coverage to 'appalling hate speech' in a statement.
The Labour leader, 62, 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."
The broadcaster also shared a statement about why Bob Vylan's 'deeply offensive' chants were allowed to air.
A BBC spokesperson said: "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."
Education minister Baroness Jacqui Smith said on-screen warnings issued by the BBC about discriminatory language during the set were 'not good enough'.
"I don’t think the BBC has a bias, but I think it made a mistake here," she told Times Radio. "It’s not good enough simply to say on screen that, you know, ‘This is dodgy language’.
“It was far beyond that, and it shouldn’t have been broadcast live. And I think it would have been possible for the BBC to stop that.”
The BBC said on Monday (30 June) that is 'should have pulled' the live stream featuring Bob Vylan's performance after broadcasting regulator Ofcom said it was 'very concerned' that it went ahead.
What has Glastonbury said about Bob Vylan?
Glastonbury organisers were quick to condemn Bob Vylan after the duo's performance on the West Holts Stage, which came ahead of Kneecap taking to the stage.
Emily Eavis, the daughter of the festival's founder, said: "As a festival, we stand against all forms of war and terrorism. We will always believe in – and actively campaign for – hope, unity, peace and love.
“With almost 4,000 performances at Glastonbury 2025, there will inevitably be artists and speakers appearing on our stages whose views we do not share, and a performer’s presence here should never be seen as a tacit endorsement of their opinions and beliefs.
"However, we are appalled by the statements made from the West Holts stage by Bob Vylan yesterday.
"Their chants very much crossed a line and we are urgently reminding everyone involved in the production of the festival that there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence."
What has the police said about Bob Vylan?
Avon and Somerset Police confirmed that officers were reviewing footage of Bob Vylan's Glastonbury gig to determine whether any criminal offences were committed.
In a post on X on Saturday evening, just hours after the controversial performance, the force wrote: "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."
Cops haven't provided an update on this probe publicly just yet. LADbible has contacted Avon and Somerset Police for further comment.
What has the Israeli embassy said about Bob Vylan?
The Israeli Embassy in the UK condemned Bob Vylan, claiming the duo had used their Glasto slot to share 'extremist language and the glorification of violence'.
In a social media post, it said: "The Embassy of Israel in the United Kingdom is deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival.
"Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democracy. But when speech crosses into incitement, hatred, and advocacy of ethnic cleansing, it must be called out—especially when amplified by public figures on prominent platforms.
"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."
What has Bob Vylan said about the criticism?
Bobby Vylan - real name Pascal Robinson-Foster - broke his silence on Sunday by sharing a selfie of himself holding a tub of vegan ice cream and said he was eating it 'while zionists are crying on socials'.
He then followed it up with a lengthy statement which he uploaded to Instagram, saying he wanted to 'encourage and inspire future generations to pick up the torch that was passed to us'.
In a post captioned 'I said what I said', the musician, 34, wrote: "As I lay in bed this morning, my phone buzzing non stop, inundated with messages of both support and hatred, I listen to my daughter typing out loud as she fills out a school survey asking for her feedback on the current state of her school dinners.
"She expressed that she would like healthier meals, more options and dishes inspired by other parts of the world.
"Listening to her voice her opinions on a matter that she cares about and affects her daily, reminds me that we may not be doomed after all."
He continued: "Teaching our children to speak up for the change they want and need is the only way that we make this world a better place.
"As we grow older and our fire possibly starts to dim under the suffocation of adult life and its responsibilities, it is incredibly important that we encourage and inspire future generations to pick up the torch that was passed to us.
"Let us display to them loudly and visibly the right thing to do when we want and need change. Let them see us marching in the streets, campaigning on ground level, organising online and shouting about it on any and every stage we are offered.
"Today it is a change in school dinners, tomorrow it is a change in foreign policy."
Topics: Festivals, Glastonbury, Israel, Music, Palestine, Politics, UK News, Keir Starmer
Olivia Burke