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Republicans Seek to Ban Rap Duo Bob Vylan From U.S. After ‘Death to IDF’ Chant at Glastonbury

BBG News

Due to some controversy surrounding their recent performance at the Glastonbury Festival in England, the British punk-rock and hip-hop duo Bob Vylan might face difficulties performing in the U.S., as they are set to open for American singer grandson’s tour in October and November.

At the yearly broadcast of Glastonbury’s performance on BBC, a member of the band, Bobby Vylan, instigated the audience to shout “Down with the IDF,” which is a reference to the Israeli Defense Forces. This unexpected action left both event organizers and spectators in disbelief.

The pair has encountered intense backlash in the U.K., with British law enforcement reviewing footage of the event for potential legal infractions.

As a movie buff putting this into my own words, I’d say: I was truly troubled to witness the fiery and hostile speech at that stage. It’s alarming when such inflammatory messages are shared in front of a massive crowd and received with applause, as it stirs up concerns about the casual acceptance of extremist discourse and the celebration of violence.

Emily Eavis, one of the organizers of Glastonbury and daughter of the festival’s founder, expressed her dismay over the comments made from the West Holts stage by Bob Vylan yesterday. She stated that their words clearly exceeded acceptable boundaries and she is swiftly reminding everyone associated with the Festival’s production that Glastonbury does not tolerate antisemitism, hate speech, or incitement to violence in any form.

In a firm statement, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticized Vylan’s behavior during his Glastonbury performance, stating, “Such abhorrent hate speech has no justification whatsoever.” Additionally, he requested that the BBC provide explanations regarding the broadcasting of these contentious comments.

The BBC stated that Vylan’s expressions were completely inappropriate and do not belong on their broadcasts. They clarified that the performance was aired due to managing a live event, but acknowledged that, in retrospect, they should have halted the transmission during the performance.

Previously, Starmer stated that it was inappropriate for Irish rap group Kneecap, who have criticized Israel for alleged genocide in Gaza and accused the U.S. and U.K. of aiding this action, to perform at the festival. In fact, the BBC had already decided not to air Kneecap’s performance live to ensure that our broadcast adheres to our editorial standards.

At the festival, Vylan took the stage prior to Kneecap’s set. The audience, waving Palestinian flags, had assembled eagerly. First, Bobby Vylan ignited the crowd with cries of “Free, free, Palestine!” Then he exclaimed, “Now listen, but have you heard this one yet?” before inciting them again to shout, “Downfall, downfall for the IDF!

As a fervent supporter, I can’t help but draw parallels between the echoes of this rallying cry and the chants often heard in the Middle East: “Down with Israel,” “Down with America,” and among some circles, “Down with Arabs.” Each side, passionate in their beliefs, uses these slogans as a means of expressing their deep-seated sentiments.

After the uproar that occurred, Bobby Vylan posted on Instagram, “I stand by my words,” expressing his statement which read: “Encouraging our kids to voice the changes they desire and necessitate is the key to making this world a more positive environment.

Here’s what to know.

Who is Bob Vylan?

Band Bob Vylan consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Bobby Vylan, along with drummer Bobbie Vylan. Together, they prefer the nickname “the Bobs.” It’s said that they adopted stage names to preserve their privacy, but U.K. media have revealed that Bobby Vylan is actually 34-year-old Pascal Robinson-Foster.

The pair, established in Ipswich back in 2017, boasts over 200,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, and they’re recognized for their music and stage acts that carry a strong political message.

As reported by The Independent, Bobby’s music frequently addresses themes like racism, homophobia, harmful masculinity, and extreme right-wing politics. In previous concerts, Bobby would introduce their song “Pretty Songs” with the statement that violence is sometimes the only language certain individuals comprehend. Additionally, the newspaper mentioned that Bobby has purposely been provocative during performances, such as by brandishing a baseball bat towards the audience or donning the jersey of the opposing team while performing in different locations.

Previously, Bobby expressed his anger to The Irish Times about musical groups not vocalizing more on the issue of Gaza. He stated that both the U.K. and U.S. governments’ reactions, as well as the responses from the people within these nations, would be immortalized in history. Essentially, he was suggesting that people who question their roles during past events like slavery or the Holocaust are currently taking action regarding the situation in Palestine.

What are the reactions in the U.S.?

In the United States, the advocacy group StopAntisemitism recently pointed out that the duo has plans for performances in America later this year. Regarding Bobby Vylan, they expressed strong disapproval, stating: “His antisemitic views should lead to a denial or revocation of his visa – such hateful sentiment is not tolerated here.

Republican Rep. Randy Fine of Florida responded to the post, saying “On it.”

A high-ranking, yet anonymous, State Department representative informed the Daily Wire on Sunday that they are considering the cancellation of visas for a specific pair. The official stated that, under the Trump Administration, individuals who support terrorism would not be granted U.S. visas.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, mentioned in a post by StopAntisemitism, has yet to make any public statement regarding the issue at hand. The U.S. Department of State has not provided a response to TIME’s query seeking comment.

Leo Terrell, a member who leads the Justice Department’s task force against antisemitism, has spoken out about this matter. He expressed on platform X that the hateful chants, which contained calls for the demise of Israeli Defense Forces members, are repulsive and have no place in any civilized society. Given that Mr. Vylan intends to visit the United States during the Inertia Tour, Terrell’s Task Force will reach out to the U.S. Department of State on Monday to explore what possible actions can be taken to tackle the situation and prevent the dissemination of violent antisemitic speech within our nation.

Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) reshared a video from X, with the caption: “This is truly disturbing. Thousands of people chant ‘Down with the Israeli Defense Forces.’ Such sentiments seem to be a common theme among Democrats.

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2025-06-30 15:06

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