Scottish Band Faces Accusations of Anti-Semitism

A Scottish rock band has come under fire for allegedly promoting anti-Semitic imagery during a recent concert. At a performance in London, a video was shown featuring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, among others, intertwined with swastikas and Jewish stars.

The controversial footage was displayed on a large screen behind Primal Scream as they performed their 2000 track “Swastika Eyes” at the Roundhouse. The visuals depicted Netanyahu alongside several political figures, including Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, with a rotating graphic of a swastika and Star of David above them.

The images included scenes from the Gaza conflict, an assassination attempt on President Trump in Pennsylvania, Elon Musk gesturing at a rally—some interpreted it as a Nazi salute—along with masked soldiers and Netanyahu meeting various officials.

The venue, Roundhouse, quickly condemned the video, stating it was screened without their approval and extended an apology to the British Jewish community. They expressed regret over the “deeply disturbing footage,” emphasizing that it went against their values and was not known to their team in advance.

“Acts of hatred, discrimination, and bigotry of any kind are completely unacceptable and have no place in our communities,” the venue said in a statement.

In response, Primal Scream defended the video on their Instagram account, claiming it aimed to spark dialogue. “This film is a work of art,” they stated, “drawing on history to question the actions of current world governments. It’s intended to provoke discussion, not hatred.”

The band was reported to the police by the Community Security Trust, an organization dedicated to combating anti-Semitism in England and Wales. They expressed concern that linking the Star of David with the swastika could perpetuate harmful stereotypes against Jews.

Formed in Glasgow in 1982 by frontman Bobby Gillespie, Primal Scream was celebrating the 25th anniversary of their album XTRMNTR at the time. This incident adds to a growing list of musicians facing accusations of anti-Semitism.

For instance, UK punk band Bob Villain faced police investigation after their lead singer shouted “Death to the IDF” at the 2025 Glastonbury festival. Additionally, the lead singer of Irish band Kneecap was arrested under terrorism laws for appearing to praise Hamas and Hezbollah during a London show in November 2024. However, the case was dropped due to a technicality in the charges.