Bob Vylan had their U.S. visas revoked after leading anti-IDF chants at Glastonbury, prompting backlash from officials and a criminal investigation in the UK.
Bob Vylan had their U.S. visas revoked after leading a crowd in chants including “Death to the IDF” during their Glastonbury Festival set, prompting condemnation from U.S. officials and a criminal investigation in the UK.
The U.S. State Department announced the decision on June 30, one day after the British Hip-Hop duo’s performance, citing the group’s “hateful tirade” as the reason for the visa cancellation.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said, “Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country.”
During their June 29 set, Bob Vylan’s frontman Bobby Vylan led the audience in chants of “Death, death to the IDF” and “Free, free Palestine” and said, “Hell yeah, from the river to the sea, Palestine must be, will be, inshallah, it will be free.”
The performance drew swift backlash from Glastonbury organizers, who issued a statement saying, “Their chants very much crossed a line. 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.”
The BBC removed Bob Vylan’s set from its iPlayer platform following the controversy.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office also condemned the performance, while Avon and Somerset Police confirmed they are reviewing footage for potential public order offenses.
The duo was also dropped by United Talent Agency, which had represented them in the U.S. Despite the fallout, Bobby Vylan stood by the group’s actions in a statement posted to Instagram.
“The only way we can make this world a better place is by encouraging our children to speak up for what they want and need. Today it’s about altering school meals; tomorrow it could involve changing foreign policy.”
The incident has reignited debate over the limits of protest and political speech at major cultural events.
A separate investigation is also underway into a performance by Irish Hip-Hop group Kneecap, who made similar political statements during the same festival weekend.
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