Bob Vylan Hit With Backlash, Investigation After Chanting 'Death to the IDF'

British punk-rap duo Bob Vylan is facing serious backlash and a police investigation after chanting "Death to the IDF" during their set at the Glastonbury Festival.

The comments, made by frontman Bobby Vylan, sparked outrage online and criticism from politicians, Jewish leaders, and the public.

They're now facing serious trouble, as their US visas have been taken away and UK authorities have started a criminal investigation.

The performance took place on the West Holts Stage on June 29 and was streamed live by the BBC.

According to RollingStone, the broadcast included chants of "Free, free Palestine" followed by "Death, death to the IDF."

Following the broadcast, the BBC apologized for not stopping the live stream sooner and confirmed that the performance won't be available to watch again.

On July 1, Avon and Somerset Police announced they've launched an investigation into the performance, treating it as a public order matter.

"Our inquiries are at an early stage, and we are considering all appropriate legislation, including hate crime laws."

Bob Vylan responded to the growing backlash with a public statement on Instagram. "We are not for the death of Jews, Arabs, or any other race or group of people," the duo said. "We are for the dismantling of a violent military machine."

They added, "The more time they talk about Bob Vylan, the less time they spend answering for their criminal inaction. We are being targeted for speaking up. We are not the first. We will not be the last."

US Revokes Bob Vylan's Visas Over Controversial Chant

The controversy has drawn global attention. US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau shared that Bob Vylan's visas were revoked because of what he described as a "hateful tirade."

The band had plans to tour the US later this year, but those shows are now in doubt.

Glastonbury organizers strongly spoke out against the chant, making it clear that antisemitism, hate speech, and any calls for violence are not tolerated at the festival.

In support of Bob Vylan, fellow artists like Soft Play, Grandson, and Lambrini Girls defended their right to speak out.

"Censorship of art is a tactic of control," said Grandson, who had invited Bob Vylan to join his upcoming US tour.

The British government has also weighed in. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy called it a "problem of leadership" for the BBC and said the incident raised "very serious questions."

Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis described the performance as "vile Jew-hatred" and warned it could normalize antisemitism, DailyMail said.

Despite the backlash, Bob Vylan is standing firm. "If you care about human life and freedom of speech, we urge you to speak up too," they wrote. "Free Palestine."

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