Bobby Vylan, one half of the punk rap duo Bob Vylan, has spoken out about his Glastonbury chants after his “death to the IDF” was condemned as “appalling”.
The pair’s performance on Saturday, which was streamed live on iPlayer, has led to the launch of a police investigation, as well as an apology from the festival organisers and the BBC.
Bobby Vylan led crowds at the West Holts Stage in a controversial chant of “death, death to the IDF” (Israel Defence Forces) referencing the conflict in Gaza.
Festival organiser Emily Eavis said the anti-IDF chants “very much crossed a line,” while adding there is no place at Glastonbury “for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence.”
Bob Vylan formed in Ipswich in 2017 and their music style is a mix of punk, rap and hard rock. The pair have chosen not to reveal their real names to protect their privacy and go by the monikers Bobby Vylan and Bobbie Vylan.
Following the performance, Bobby Vylan issued a statement on Instagram, saying he had been “inundated with messages of both support and hatred”.
Despite his “phone buzzing non stop,” the rapper asserted that he stood by his comments as he called for a “change in foreign policy.”
He captioned the statement with “I said what I said.”
Performer @BobbyVylan caused outrage at Glastonbury by shouting "death, death to the IDF", complained he was forced to “work for f*cking zionists" & led a chorus of the arguably genocidal "From the river to the sea Palestine must be, will be, free."
— David Atherton (@DaveAtherton20) June 29, 2025
It was broadcast by the BBC… pic.twitter.com/qR76dkx0Dv
His full statement read: “As I lay in bed this morning, my phone buzzing non stop, inundated with messages of both support and hatred, I listen to my daughter typing out loud as she fills out a school survey asking for her feedback on the current state of her school dinners.
“She expressed that she would like healthier meals, more options and dishes inspired by other parts of the world.
“Listening to her voice her opinions on a matter that she cares about and affects her daily, reminds me that we may not be doomed after all.
“Teaching our children to speak up for the change they want and need is the only way that we make this world a better place.
“As we grow older and our fire possibly starts to dim under the suffocation of adult life and all its responsibilities, it is incredibly important that we encourage and inspire future generations to pick up the torch that was passed to us. Let us display to them loudly and visibly the right thing to do when we want and need change.
“Let them see us marching in the streets, campaigning on ground level, organising online and shouting about it on any and every stage that we are offered.
“Today it is a change in school dinners, tomorrow it is a change in foreign policy.”
Sir Keir Starmer has demanded an explanation from the BBC, as he accused the corporation of airing “hate speech” following Bob Vylan’s performance.
The footage has since been removed by the BBC and remains under investigation.
The PM said: “There is no excuse for this kind of appalling hate speech. I said that Kneecap should not be given a platform and that goes for any other performers making threats or inciting violence. The BBC needs to explain how these scenes came to be broadcast.”
The pressure on the BBC showed no sign of relenting on Monday as skills minister Baroness Jacqui Smith - a former home secretary- stressed that the BBC had “questions to answer”.
She said she absolutely believed Bobby Vylan’s actions amounted to “incitement to violence”.
While Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said Bob Vylan was “inciting violence and hatred” and should be arrested and prosecuted.
Hip Hop trio Kneecap are also being investigated by police over politically-charged chants made during their set, to determine if any offences were committed.
Naoise Ó Cairealláin, who performs under the name Moglai Bap, said they would “start a riot outside the courts”, referencing fellow bandmate Liam Og O hAnnaidh who has been charged under the Terrorism Act for allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag and chanting pro-Hamas slogans during a gig in London.
Ó Cairealláin later clarified: “No riots just love and support, and support for Palestine”.
Avon and Somerset Police said video evidence would be assessed by officers “to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation”.
On social media, the Israeli Embassy said it was “deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival”.
