U.S. government revokes visas for British band that shouted for ‘death to the IDF’

State Department Revokes Visas for Bob Bilan Band Members

The U.S. State Department has canceled visas for the members of the British punk rap duo, Bob Bilan, following their performance at the Glastonbury Music Festival where they shouted calls for “death to IDF.” This incident occurred on Saturday in England.

Bob Bilan, composed of two artists under the same stage name, is set to tour the U.S. in the latter part of 2025. However, the State Department revealed on Monday that they had applied for visas after reportedly leading a chant against the Israeli defense forces.

“Bob Bilan’s visa has been revoked,” a senior official from the department stated. “The Secretary of State has made it clear; the U.S. will not issue visas to those who sympathize with terrorism.”

Outrage Follows Anti-Israel Chants

The performance received significant backlash, as Bobby Bilan led the audience in chants such as “free, free, free Palestine” and referenced a common slogan, “from the river to the sea.” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the statements, asserting that “there is no excuse for this horrifying hate speech.”

In the aftermath, Bobby Bilan seemed to reaffirm his statements, posting on social media that he “said what I said.” Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has emphasized that the State Department is prepared to revoke the visas of anyone affiliated with terrorism.

Just recently, Rubio declared that following a series of terror attacks, all “terrorists, their families, and sympathizers” would face visa cancellations and deportations.

Following the incident, the BBC issued an apology regarding their live coverage of Bob Bilan’s performance, denouncing the anti-Semitic chants that occurred during the event.

“While dealing with the live situation, the team now regrets not stopping the stream,” the BBC stated. “We uphold freedom of expression but oppose any incitement to violence. The anti-Semitic messages expressed are unacceptable and have no place on our platform.”