Palestinian Flags and chants of “Death to the IDF” and “Free Palestine” were heard on Saturday during a live performance by British band Bob Vylan at the Glastonbury Festival — a set broadcast live on the BBC.
The London-based punk duo took the stage shortly before the Irish group Kneecap, which has drawn controversy in recent months for overt pro-Palestinian messaging during live performances.
Earlier in the day, the BBC announced it would not broadcast Kneecap’s set live. “Whilst the BBC doesn't ban artists, our plans ensure that our programming meets our editorial guidelines,” the network said in a statement.
"We don't always live stream every act from the main stages and look to make an on-demand version of Kneecap's performance available on our digital platforms, alongside more than 90 other sets,” the BBC added.
During Bob Vylan’s performance, lead singer Bobby Vylan led chants of “Death to the IDF” as a Palestinian flag waved on stage. He dedicated one of the songs to “every band using their platform to speak up for the Palestinian people.”
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Throughout the set, messages criticizing the BBC were projected behind the band. “I know we’re on BBC right now, so we’re not going to say anything too crazy — we’ll leave that to the guys coming up after us,” the singer said, pointing toward Kneecap.
Kneecap has drawn global headlines for its anti-Israel messaging. During a performance at California’s Coachella Festival in April, the group displayed slogans including “F*** Israel, Free Palestine” and “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people.” A caption followed, reading: “Made possible by the U.S. government, which arms and funds Israel despite its war crimes.”