Punk vocalist Bobby Vylan called for “death to every single IDF soldier out there” while on stage ONE MONTH before last weekend’s foul-mouthed Glastonbury Festival appearance.
Footage of the duo’s May 28th performance at Alexander Palace, where they supported US rock legend Iggy Pop, shows Vylan, real name Pascal Robinson-Forster, 34, on stage shouting: “Death to every single IDF soldier out there, as an agent of terror for Israel. Death To The IDF.”
Last Saturday the band took to the stage at the Glastonbury Festival and again led controversial chants such as “Death, death to the IDF” and “From the river to the sea… Palestine will be free, Inshallah” during a performance that was aired by the BBC.
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Avon and Somerset Police has said it has launched a criminal investigation into performances by Bob Vylan and by Kneecap at Glastonbury.
Footage of further calls for kill Israeli soldiers by the band is likely to be of interest to police carrying out their investigation.
It will also raise further questions about the lack of due diligence conducted by both BBC and Glastonbury chiefs ahead of last weekend’s performance by the band at the famous festival.
After calling for death to “every single IDF soldier”, Bobby Vylon when on to perform their song Hunger Games at the Alexandra Park gig. The lead singer later thanked Passenger singer Iggy Pop for “giving us this opportunity to get our message across to you beautiful people.”
Bob Vylan performing on the West Holts Stage, during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset. Glastonbury Festival has said it is “appalled” by the statements made by Bobby Vylan, of punk duo Bob Vylan, during their set on Saturday. The performer led crowds on the festival’s West Holts Stage in chants of “death, death to the IDF”. Issue date: Sunday June 29, 2025.
Police have not specified which part of Bob Vylan’s or Kneecap’s set would be subject to the criminal investigation.
It comes after the BBC admitted it should have cut away from a live broadcast of Bob Vylan’s performance, during which the band’s singer Pascal Robinson-Foster, who performs under the name Bobby Vylan, led a chant of “death, death to the IDF [Israel Defense Forces]”.
There are two members of the Bob Vylan band; the singer who refers to himself as Bobby Vylan and the drummer who goes by Bobbie Vylan.
While Vylan’s real identity was known, the Daily Mail revealed the other band member’s name is Wade Laurence George.
Robinson-Forster has spoken about attending his first pro-Palestine protest at the age of 15 and remembered a ‘feeling of people coming together and using their voice’ before criticising other bands associated with the left for not being more outspoken on Palestine.
During their set, Bob Vylan’s singer also spoke about a record label boss he used to work for.
That boss would “speak very strongly about his support for Israel”, and had put his name to a letter urging Glastonbury to cancel Irish-language rap trio Kneecap’s performance, the musician said.
“Who do I see on that list of names but that bald-headed [expletive] I used to work for. We’ve done it all, all right? From working in bars to working for [expletive] Zionists.”
Andrew Gilbert, vice-president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said he and others were “absolutely horrified and are still absolutely perplexed” by the on-stage comments and their broadcast.
Avon and Somerset Police said it had appointed a senior detective to investigate whether comments made by either act amounted to a criminal offence after reviewing footage.
A statement added: “This has been recorded as a public order incident at this time while our enquiries are at an early stage.”
Both members of Bob Vylan – who were due to embark on a tour of America later this year – have had their US visas revoked.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has also warned the BBC that their explanation for continuing to broadcast live footage of the Glastonbury gig was not satisfactory.
