Everything that’s happened to Bobby Vylan since that Glastonbury performance

During their set on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival on Saturday, 28 June, punk-rap frontman Bobby Vylan led the crowd in chanting “Free, free Palestine” and then “Death, death to the IDF.”

The moment was streamed live on BBC iPlayer, and reactions flooded in straight away. The BBC added an on-screen warning about “very strong and discriminatory” language, but that didn’t stop the controversy from blowing up.

Since then, there’s been a whirlwind of developments. So, here’s everything that’s happened to Bobby Vylan since that Glastonbury performance.

Police launched a criminal investigation

Just a few days after the festival, Avon and Somerset Police began reviewing footage of the performance. According to a statement from the force, they soon decided to open a full criminal investigation, treating the incident as a public order offence. They also said they were looking at whether hate crime laws might apply.

The police appointed a senior detective to lead the case and asked the public to stop sending in reports, reassuring everyone they were taking the matter “extremely seriously.”

BBC faced backlash and issued an apology

The BBC faced heavy criticism for airing the set live and not cutting away sooner. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the broadcast “appalling hate speech,” while other MPs pushed for regulatory action.

In response, the BBC released a statement. It said they “regretted not pulling the stream during the performance” and confirmed the set had been removed from iPlayer. It also said it will review its guidelines for live events to avoid similar problems in the future.

Glastonbury organisers said the band ‘crossed a line’

Festival organisers quickly distanced themselves from Bobby Vylan’s performance. Emily Eavis, one of the event’s co-organisers, said the band’s chants “very much crossed a line.”

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She emphasised there was “no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence” and made clear that hosting an act did not mean the festival supported all their views.

Bobby Vylan responded on Instagram

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A post shared by Bob Vylan (@bobbyvylan)

Bobby Vylan shared his own response on Instagram. His initial post was a selfie eating vegan ice cream, captioned: “While Zionists are crying on socials.”

Later, he posted a longer message defending his right to speak out. He said it was important to encourage younger generations to keep pushing for change. He reflected on a moment with his daughter about wanting “healthier and more global” school meals, suggesting small changes lead to bigger ones.

Bobby Vylan captioned the post: “I said what I said.”

US Visas were revoked

The consequences spread beyond the UK. Bob Vylan was due to perform in the U.S. later this year. But since the Glastonbury performance their visas have been revoked due to their “hateful tirade”. US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau wrote on X: “Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country.”

The US Ambassador to the UK also condemned the performance as “a disgrace.”

The band were dropped by their talent agency

According to Sky News, Bob Vylan were quietly dropped by their talent agency, United Talent Agency (UTA), shortly after the festival.

While UTA has not publicly commented, the band no longer appear on the agency’s official roster.

Ofcom and Israeli embassy spoke out

Ofcom said it was “very concerned” about the live broadcast and that the BBC had “questions to answer.” The regulator confirmed it was urgently seeking further information to assess whether the broadcaster complied with its editorial guidelines.

The Israeli embassy also spoke out. It called the chants “deeply disturbing” and condemning any calls for dismantling the State of Israel.

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