Chief rabbi condemns BBC's 'mishandled response' to anti-IDF chanting at Glastonbury - as Bob Vylan issue new statement
Sir Ephraim Mirvis said "vile Jew-hatred" had been aired at the Somerset music festival and it was a "time of national shame".
Confidence in the BBC's "ability to treat antisemitism seriously" has been brought to a "new low", he said in a post on X, adding that "outright incitement to violence and hatred" appeared to be acceptable if it was couched as "edgy political commentary".
Ordinary people had not only failed to see incitement "for what it is" but had cheered it, chanted it, and celebrated it, he said. "Toxic Jew-hatred is a threat to our entire society," he added.
Bob Vylan, posting a new statement on Instagram on Tuesday, said they were "not for the death of Jews, Arabs or any other race or group of people".
Rather, they were for the "dismantling of a violent military machine" - the Israel Defence Forces.
Bob Vylan chanted "death to the IDF" at Glastonbury. As many as 95% of the IDF are thought to be Jewish.
In their statement, the group said they were a "distraction from the story" and that whatever "sanctions" they received would also be a distraction.
Their US visas have been revoked and United Talent Agency, their US representatives, have dropped them.
Referring to the war in Gaza, they claimed the UK government does not want them to ask "why they remain silent in the face of this atrocity", "why they aren't doing more to stop the killing" and "feed the starving".
They added: "The more time they talk about Bob Vylan, the less time they spend answering for their criminal inaction.
"We are being targeted for speaking up. We are not the first, we will not be the last, and if you care for the sanctity of human life and freedom of speech, we urge you to speak up, too."
It has emerged that Tim Davie, the BBC's director-general, was at Glastonbury when the duo led chants of "Death to the IDF" which were broadcast live.
The prime minister's spokesman, asked if the PM had confidence in Mr Davie, said Sir Keir Starmer had "confidence in the BBC", adding: "The position of the director-general is a matter for the BBC's board."
Speaking in the Commons, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said "accountability" was important and it was something she had "impressed upon the BBC leadership".
She added: "When you have one editorial failure, it's something that must be gripped. When you have several, it becomes a problem of leadership."
The cabinet minister said she'd called Mr Davie after Bob Vylan's set had been broadcast to find out why it had aired, and why the feed had not been cut.
"I expect answers to these questions without delay," she said.
Avon and Somerset Police has begun a criminal investigation and is reviewing footage of both Bob Vylan and Kneecap's performances at Glastonbury.
The force said a senior detective had been appointed - and it had been contacted by people from around the world.
"We... recognise the strength of public feeling," it said.
During Kneecap's set, one member suggested starting a "riot" outside his bandmate's forthcoming court appearance, before clarifying that he meant "support". Liam Og O hAnnaidh, also known as Mo Chara, is charged with a terror offence.
Bob Vylan had been due to tour the US before their visas were revoked.
US deputy secretary of state Christopher Landau said action had been taken "in light of their hateful tirade at Glastonbury, including leading the crowd in death chants".
"Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country," he added.
During Bob Vylan's set, the duo performed in front of a screen that showed several messages, including one that claimed Israel's actions in Gaza amounted to "genocide".
The war in Gaza began after Hamas militants attacked Israel on 7 October 2023 and killed 1,200 people and took about 250 hostage.
Israel's offensive in Gaza has led to the deaths of more than 56,500 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.
Media watchdog Ofcom has said the BBC "clearly has questions to answer" over the live stream from Glastonbury.
A BBC spokesperson said: "The director-general was informed of the incident after the performance and at that point he was clear it should not feature in any other Glastonbury coverage."
The broadcaster respects freedom of expression but "stands firmly against incitement to violence", they said.
They added: "The antisemitic sentiments expressed by Bob Vylan were utterly unacceptable and have no place on our airwaves...
"The team were dealing with a live situation, but with hindsight we should have pulled the stream during the performance. We regret this did not happen."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
5 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Rachel Reeves appears to be crying as her position is questioned during PMQs– video
The chancellor appeared to be tearful after a series of questions from Kemi Badenoch, who said Labour MPs had said Reeves was 'toast', and suggested the prime minister had failed to confirm she would stay in post until the next election. Downing Street weighed in immediately to support Reeves, with aides saying she was 'going nowhere' and there would be no reshuffle
The Independent
33 minutes ago
- The Independent
Watch: Rachel Reeves appears to cry at PMQs after Starmer refuses to guarantee she will stay on
Watch as Rachel Reeves appears to cry during Prime Ministers Questions on Wednesday (2 July), with Kemi Badenoch saying she looks "absolutely miserable'. The Chancellor sat next to Sir Keir Starmer whilst he took a grilling from the Commons on his watered-down welfare bill, which was passed yesterday in a crunch vote. Before the 30-minute session Ms Reeves appeared visibly upset, with Ms Badenoch saying that the Chancellor is 'toast' and a 'human shield" for Sir Keir's 'incompetence'. Ms Badenoch then suggested that the prime minister had failed to confirm whether Ms Reeves would retain her position, saying: 'How awful for the Chancellor that he couldn't confirm that she will stay in place.' A spokesperson for the Chancellor later said that she was dealing with a 'personal matter' and Downing Street quickly confirmed she was 'going nowhere'.
Telegraph
40 minutes ago
- Telegraph
BBC staff accuse corporation of ‘anti-Palestinian racism'
BBC staff have written to Tim Davie accusing the corporation of anti-Palestinian racism and of 'performing PR for the Israeli government and military'. They have called for the removal of Sir Robbie Gibb as a BBC board member because they alleged he has 'close ties' to the Jewish Chronicle. An open letter to the director-general signed by 107 BBC journalists – as well as celebrities including Charles Dance, Mike Leigh, Juliet Stevenson and Miriam Margolyes – claims that the corporation is 'an organisation that is crippled by the fear of being perceived as critical of the Israeli government'. The letter was signed by anonymous staff from BBC News, the World Service, BBC Arabic and Panorama, amongst others. One of the signatories is from the HR department. It has dismayed Jewish staff who fear there is an anti-Israel lobby within BBC News. The letter criticises the BBC's decision to drop a documentary about doctors in Gaza owing to impartiality concerns. The film will be shown tonight on Channel 4 instead. It singles out Sir Robbie, the former No 10 communications director under Theresa May, who is now a BBC Board member and sits on the editorial standards committee. 'We are concerned that an individual with close ties to the Jewish Chronicle, an outlet that has repeatedly published anti-Palestinian and often racist content, has a say in the BBC's editorial decisions in any capacity, including the decision not to broadcast Gaza: Medics Under Fire,' the letter reads. 'We believe the role of Robbie Gibb, both on the Board, and as part of the Editorial Standards Committee, is untenable.' In fact, Sir Robbie resigned as a director of the Jewish Chronicle last year. Sir Robbie and the newspaper have been contacted for comment. The BBC has been embroiled in numerous antisemitism rows including Saturday's Glastonbury coverage, when viewers saw punk-rap duo Bob Vylan chant 'death, death to the IDF' and 'from the river to the sea'. However, the letter claims that the true bias at the BBC is pro-Israeli. 'All too often it has felt that the BBC has been performing PR for the Israeli government and military. This should be a cause of great shame and concern for everyone at the BBC,' it says. The letter, addressed to Mr Davie and the BBC board, claims that the refusal to show the new Gaza documentary is 'just one in a long line of agenda-driven decisions' which 'demonstrates, once again, that the BBC is not reporting 'without fear or favour' when it comes to Israel'. 'As an organisation we have not offered any significant analysis of the UK government's involvement in the war on Palestinians. We have failed to report on weapons sales or their legal implications. These stories have instead been broken by the BBC's competitors. 'This hasn't happened by accident, rather by design. Much of the BBC's coverage in this area is defined by anti-Palestinian racism. The inconsistent manner in which guidance is applied draws into focus the role of Sir Robbie Gibb,' the letter reads. 'Failed to report the reality of the war on Palestinians' The staff claim that the BBC's news coverage ' has failed to report the reality and the context of the war on Palestinians '. Other named signatories on the list include William Dalrymple, the historian; Owen Jones, the Guardian columnist; Misan Harriman, the photographer favoured by the Duchess of Sussex; and Roger McKenzie, international editor of the Morning Star. The BBC commissioned the Gaza documentary, alternatively titled Gaza: Doctors Under Attack, but dropped it after concluding that 'broadcasting this material risked creating a perception of partiality that would not meet the high standards that the public rightly expect of the BBC'. The corporation previously released a documentary, Gaza: How To Survive A War Zone, without establishing that the child narrator was the son of a Hamas minister. A forthcoming report into the broadcast is expected to be highly critical of BBC News fact-checking. Responding to the letter, a BBC spokesperson said: ' Robust discussions amongst our editorial teams about our journalism are an essential part of the editorial process. We have ongoing discussions about coverage and listen to feedback from staff and we think these conversations are best had internally. 'Regarding our coverage of Gaza, the BBC is fully committed to covering the conflict impartially and has produced powerful coverage from the region.'
