British authorities announced on Tuesday that no legal action would be taken regarding statements made about the Israeli military during a performance by punk duo Bob Vylan at the Glastonbury music festival in June. Avon and Somerset Police stated that the evidence did not meet the criminal threshold required for prosecution as per the Crown Prosecution Service guidelines. The performance featured lead singer Bobby Vylan chanting “death, death to the IDF,” in reference to the Israel Defence Forces’ actions in Gaza. The police determined there was insufficient evidence for a conviction. During the investigation, a man in his mid-30s was interviewed, and approximately 200 members of the public were contacted.
The on-stage remarks sparked significant criticism, with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemning the chant as “appalling hate speech,” along with disapproval from the Israeli embassy in London. The BBC faced backlash for not interrupting a livestream of the performance. Bobby Vylan later shared on social media that he had received both support and backlash for the chant, emphasizing the importance of empowering children to advocate for positive change. Avon and Somerset Police explained that they considered the intent, broader context, legal precedents, and freedom of speech aspects before concluding the investigation.
The police highlighted that extensive consultations with Jewish community groups were conducted throughout the process. Earlier in the year, British authorities had indicated that comments made by Bob Vylan and Irish group Kneecap at the festival would be investigated. A terrorism charge against a Kneecap member for displaying a Hezbollah flag was dismissed in September. Additionally, one member of the group was barred from entering Canada earlier in the year following statements from a Member of Parliament.
