Bob Vylan Confronts IDF Chants at Their First Show After Glastonbury

## Bob Vylan Attempts to De-escalate Controversy at London Show

Bob Vylan took measures to mitigate the growing tension surrounding their first performance following a highly publicized incident at Glastonbury in June. The British duo faced backlash after their appearance at the festival, which led to them being dropped from several European festivals and having their U.S. visas revoked. This fallout was largely due to a chant directed against the Israeli Defense Force during their set.

### Addressing the Chant

At their recent show at London’s 100 Club, the audience began chanting “Death to the IDF” once again. Frontman Bobby Vylan quickly intervened, saying, “No no no no no, you’re gonna get me in trouble. Apparently, every other chant is fine, but you lot will get me in trouble.” Instead, he encouraged the crowd to chant, “Free, free Palestine.”

Bobby further acknowledged the significance of their platform, stating, “I’m gonna try and keep my talking to a minimum today, because that’s what got us in trouble in the first place. It’s been a busy week of putting out fires.” He expressed that the band never anticipated that their actions would spark such a critical discussion.

### BBC and Festival Responses

Following the controversy, the BBC, which livestreamed the Glastonbury performance, issued an apology. They announced a decision to avoid broadcasting “high risk” acts at the festival in the future. In a statement, they expressed regret for any offense caused and emphasized that antisemitism has no place at the BBC.

Glastonbury’s organizers also expressed their disapproval. Festival head Emily Eavis stated they were “appalled” by the incident. As a result, the U.S. State Department revoked the duo’s visas ahead of their North American tour and they were subsequently dropped from upcoming European festivals. An investigation by British police into their Glastonbury performance is also underway.

### Album Recognition Amid Controversy

Despite the backlash, Bob Vylan’s latest album, *Humble as the Sun*, has re-entered the British charts, much to Bobby’s acknowledgment during the London show. “What is happening over there is an absolute mess; it is criminal what is happening to these people,” he said, addressing the plight of the Palestinian people.

He passionately remarked, “They have been trying to silence us. They thought this would shut us up, but the album is back in the charts. We just want to see the liberation of the Palestinian people. That’s not too crazy a request, is it? Each and every single time, they will not silence us.”

What do you think about the response of artists in times of political controversy?