British authorities have initiated an investigation regarding remarks made by the rap rock duo Bob Villains during their performance at the Glastonbury Music Festival on Saturday, where they called for the “death” of the Israeli Defence Force.
Somerset police stated they are reviewing footage from the performances by Bob Billan, a Caribbean artist, and the Northern Ireland hip-hop group Kneecap.
“Officers will evaluate the video evidence to see if a crime that warrants a criminal investigation has occurred,” police noted.
One half of Bob Villains, who performs under the name Bobby Bilan, rallied the Glastonbury crowd with chants like “Death, Death to IDF” (Israel Defence Forces) and “Free from the River to the Sea.”
The performances were aired nationally on the BBC, prompting a response from the UK’s Israeli embassy, which expressed deep concern over the “inflamatory and hateful rhetoric” displayed onstage.
“Freedom of expression is fundamental to democracy. However, when that expression leans toward inciting hatred and advocating for ethnic cleansing, it cannot go unchallenged, especially from public figures on such a prominent platform,” they added.
Festival organizers also condemned the acts, stating, “The Glastonbury Festival does not endorse hate speech or incitement to violence from any performer.”
Bobby Bilan appeared before a banner proclaiming “This country was built on the backs of immigrants,” seemingly promoting a message regarding the changing demographics in the UK. “Did you hear, you want to regain your country?”
In reaction, British politician Nigel Farage mentioned that “if you vote for reform, you can take your country back from this insanity.”
His party colleague, MP Richard Tice, added that Glastonbury’s so-called “kind and caring people” were chanting for violence against Jews. Tice described it as a frightful display of anti-Semitism and racism, saying that for anyone else, this would have sparked national outrage.
The UK’s Labour government released a statement regarding the incident.
Number 10 reported that Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy contacted the BBC, asking for an “urgent explanation of due diligence” prior to the decision to air the performance. The broadcaster stated that a warning about “very powerful and discriminatory language” was shown on the screen, and the performance is not available on the BBC iPlayer streaming service.
Meanwhile, Glastonbury also hosted the controversial Northern Irish hip-hop group Kneecap, despite allegations against one member related to supporting a terrorist organization. During their performance, Kneecap led the crowd in chants for a “free Palestine” while condemning the actions of the Jewish state as “genocide.”
“We understand colonialism and recognize how vital it is to support each other internationally,” noted Kneecap rapper Liamógó Hannaidh.
