Glastonbury and the BBC are facing a new storm after a performer led the crowd from one of the festival’s main stages in chants of “Death, death, death to the IDF.”
Rock-rap act Bob Vylan was broadcast encouraging the “Death to the IDF” chant five times during their appearance on the West Holts stage ahead of Irish anti-Zionist rappers Kneecap.
The embassy of Israel later responded to the chants saying it was “deeply disturbing” hearing the chants about the IDF.
In a day of shame at Glastonbury, when Kneecap appeared on stage to a sea of Palestinian flags from fans, the group’s Naoise O Caireallain, who performs under the name Moglai Bob, urged fans to “riot” outside a London court.
Kneecap’s Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh is due to appear before Westminster Magistrates on 20 August.
After calling for fans to riot outside court next month, Kneecap’s O Caireallain appeared back on stage a few minutes later and attempted to backtrack on his initial comments. He appeared to have been acting under instructions as he told fans he didn’t really mean to call for a riot.
But he blasted the charges against his band mate as “trumped up.”
Ahead of Kneecap, the rapper Bobby Vylan had launched into an incendiary rant at one stage about “Zionists” in the music industry as he encouraged fans to chant “Free Free Palestine” and defended Kneecap.
The BBC broadcast the Bob Vylan set without edits or bleeps to cover any chants or lyrics that might be deemed offensive.
Vylan also said: “Hell yeah, from the river to the sea, Palestine must be, will be free, inshallah.”
He later launched another rant against music industry figures who had protested about Kneecap playing at Glastonbury.
Vylan blamed “Zionists” in the music industry including a “bald-headed” c**t he worked with.
The corporation removed the live feed for Kneecap set, also on the West Holts stage. Kneecap led Glastonbury crowds in chants of “f*** Keir Starmer” during their set at the festival.
In the run-up to the festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset, several politicians called for Kneecap to be removed from the line-up and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said their performance would not be “appropriate”.
O Caireallain said: “The Prime Minister of your country, not mine, said he didn’t want us to play, so f*** Keir Starmer.”
He also said a “big thank you to the Eavis family” and said “they stood strong” amid calls for the organisers to drop them from the line-up.
The band also led crowds in chants of “Free Palestine”, with Mo Chara commenting on the sheer number of flags at the festival.
O hAnnaidh, 27, wore a keffiyeh during the set, while member JJ O Dochartaigh, who performs under the name DJ Provai, wore his signature tri-coloured balaclava as well as a T-shirt that said: “We are all Palestine Action” in reference to the soon-to-be banned campaign group.
News broadcasts criticising the hip hop trio played from the sound system before they walked onto the stage were booed by the Glastonbury Festival audience.
Meanwhile, a Palestine Action event held at the festival’s Speakers Forum tent saw poems from Palestinians being read out that openly praised violence and martyrdom. During a Q&A at event on Saturday activists railed against the government’s decision to proscribe Palestine Action.
One spoke of further violent actions and the need to support activists serving prison sentences for their actions.
Jewish News has contacted Glastonbury for comment on the “Death” chant.
