Calls to cancel Bob Vylan grow ahead of Boardmasters festival
The London-based group has come under intense scrutiny after leading anti-'Israeli' military chants during a June performance at Glastonbury, which aired on the BBC.
During the Glastonbury set, Bob Vylan chanted 'death to the IDF' and made other politically charged remarks about Zionism and the situation in Gaza. The performance sparked backlash at the highest levels of government, including criticism from the UK Prime Minister, questions in Parliament, and a rare apology from the BBC for failing to cut the live feed.
In the weeks since, Cornwall Council has been flooded with nearly 300 complaints, many reportedly from outside the region, demanding the band be removed from the Boardmasters lineup. Councillor Dulcie Tudor described the scale of the response as 'more than the most-controversial planning application.'
Critics have even taken to social media to call for the cancellation of Bob Vylan. One user stated, "Bob Vylan has had all his concerts for Europe, and the USA canceled. His career is over."
Bob Vylan has had all his concerts for Europe, and the USA canceled. His career is over. pic.twitter.com/3wAhi0meKv
— Israel Now (@neveragainlive1) July 2, 2025
However, the council has confirmed that any licensing hearing will only take place after the event concludes, citing regulations requiring a 20-day consultation period. Council leader Leigh Frost stated he would respond to each complaint and invite public participation in the eventual license review.
Dr. Ed Abrahamson, who filed the initial complaint, claimed the band has been dropped from festivals around the world, had its US visas revoked, and is under investigation by UK anti-terror authorities. He urged local officials to act, warning of the potential influence on young festivalgoers.
But Cornwall Council says only Devon and Cornwall Police have the authority to intervene, and the force has signaled it will not act to stop the show. In a statement, police emphasized their focus on event safety and confirmed performance decisions are up to the festival's organizers.
Boardmasters, for its part, defended its decision to allow the band to perform. A spokesperson stressed that the festival 'does not tolerate hate speech, incitement to violence or behavior that puts anyone at risk' and had communicated clear expectations to the artists.
Following the uproar, Bob Vylan maintained that their message had been misunderstood. 'We are not for the death of Jews, Arabs or any other race or group of people,' the band posted on Instagram. 'We are for the dismantling of a violent military machine.'
Support for the band has also emerged within the music community. Artists, including Massive Attack and Brian Eno, have denounced what they describe as coordinated smear campaigns by pro-'Israel' advocates.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Roya News
6 hours ago
- Roya News
Palestinian-American teen held in 'Israeli' prison, family pleads for US intervention
The family of Muhammad Zaher Ibrahim, a 16-year-old Palestinian-American, is urgently appealing for his release from 'Israel's' Megiddo prison, where he has been held in pre-trial detention for over five months. Arrested in February for allegedly throwing rocks, a charge his family vehemently denies, Muhammad's health has significantly deteriorated, prompting calls for immediate intervention from the United States government. Muhammad, who was 15 at the time of his arrest, was taken from his family's home in the occupied West Bank village of Silwad (al-Mazraa ash-Sharqiya) by heavily armed 'Israeli' troops. Relatives state he was blindfolded and handcuffed. A video of his interrogation, reviewed by media outlets, shows him being questioned without a lawyer present, raising concerns about due process. His family, who split their time between the West Bank and Palm Bay, Florida, has been completely cut off from Muhammad, with no visitation or phone rights since his detention. "When you can't visit him and you can't get a phone call from him, what do you know? We don't know if he's dead… There's nothing we know," his father, Zaher Ibrahim, expressed. Concerns for Muhammad's well-being have escalated due to his rapidly declining health. He has reportedly lost between 12-13kg, more than a fourth of his body weight, and has developed a severe scabies infection. His family describes Megiddo Prison as "notorious for brutality and suffering". This aligns with reports from human rights groups detailing harsh conditions for Palestinian children in 'Israeli' prisons, including beatings, starvation policies, and denial of medical care. Notably, Walid Ahmad, a 17-year-old detainee, died in Megiddo in March from "prolonged malnutrition" and also suffered from scabies. Zaher Ibrahim reached out to Republican Congressman Mike Haridopolos in March, pleading for assistance. While US embassy officials have conducted welfare checks, they have faced restrictions on access in recent weeks. The State Department confirmed Muhammad was receiving treatment for scabies and promised a visit upon his recovery. However, the State Department declined to comment publicly on the case, citing "privacy considerations", according to Al-Jazeera. Organizations like Defense for Children International-Palestine (DCI-P) report that 'Israel' prosecutes between 500 and 700 Palestinian children in military courts annually, with 323 children aged 12-17 held as of March 2025. Conditions in 'Israeli' jails for Palestinians have reportedly worsened since October 7, 2023, with stricter punishments and restrictions on visits. The detention also comes amid escalating violence in the West Bank. Muhammad is the first cousin of Sayfollah Musallet, a 20-year-old dual US-Palestinian citizen beaten to death by 'Israeli' settlers in July.
Al Bawaba
7 hours ago
- Al Bawaba
Ozzy Osbourne death certificate reveals unexpected details about his passing
ALBAWABA - Ozzy Osbourne cause of death and more. According to a death certificate made by his daughter and obtained by the Sun and the New York Times on Tuesday, Ozzy Osbourne, lead singer of Black Sabbath and a defining figure in British heavy metal, died of cardiac arrest. He also had coronary artery disease and Parkinson's disease. According to reports, Ozzy Osbourne's daughter Aimée Osbourne filed the death certificate at a registry in London. It says that the official cause of death was "(a) out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, (b) acute myocardial infarction, and (c) coronary artery disease and Parkinson's disease with autonomic dysfunction (joint causes)." BURBANK, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 24: Ozzy Osbourne (Photo by KEVIN WINTER / Getty Images via AFP) He was 76 years old when he died on July 22. The Osbourne family confirmed his death in a statement that read, "It is with more sadness than words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning." He was with his family, who loved him very much. At this time, we ask that everyone give our family space. In his home city of Birmingham, England, on July 30, he was laid to rest. As Osbourne's hearse drove through the city center on its way to his private funeral, thousands of fans lined the streets to celebrate him and pay their respects. Osbourne's wife, Sharon, and their three children, Aimée, Kelly, and Jack, joined the guests for the moving service. Kelly (L), Ozzy (C) and Sharon Osbourne (Photo by Mark RALSTON / AFP) Osbourne passed away just a few weeks after his last show. At a farewell show on July 5, Osbourne saw his old Black Sabbath bandmates again for the first time in almost twenty years. In the past few years, Osbourne has had a lot of health problems. In 2019, a fall made a previous spine injury worse and led to the need for multiple surgeries. He told everyone in 2020 that he had been diagnosed with a type of Parkinson's disease in 2019. After telling Good Morning America about the diagnosis in 2020, Osbourne said, "It's been terribly challenging for us all." He also said, "My last show was on New Year's Eve at The Forum." After that I fell badly. All of my nerves were messed up after surgery on my neck.
Roya News
10 hours ago
- Roya News
Athens Mayor fires back at 'Israeli' ambassador over Graffiti dispute
A diplomatic row has erupted between Athens Mayor Haris Doukas and 'Israeli' Ambassador Noam Katz, sparked by the ambassador's public criticism regarding the city's handling of 'antisemitic' graffiti. The exchange escalated quickly, with Mayor Doukas accusing Israel of "unprecedented genocide" in Gaza, dismissing the graffiti concerns as "marginal details". Ambassador Katz initiated the dispute in an interview with Greek daily Kathimerini on Sunday, August 3, 2025, stating that 'Israeli' visitors felt "uncomfortable" in Athens due to 'antisemitic' slogans like 'Expel all Israelis' and 'Kill the Zionists, save lives'. He accused city authorities of inaction against "organized minorities" responsible for the vandalism, warning it sent a "dangerous message of tolerance for Jew-hatred". Mayor Doukas swiftly responded on X (formerly Twitter), declaring, "We don't need lessons in democracy from those who kill civilians". 'Athens, the capital of a democratic country, fully respects its visitors and supports the right of free expression of its citizens,' Doukas continued. 'We do not accept lessons in democracy from those who kill civilians and children in food lines, from those who lead dozens of people to death in Gaza every day, from bombs, hunger and thirst,' he added. 'It is appalling that Mr. Ambassador focuses only on graffiti (which is apparently being erased), while an unprecedented genocide is being carried out in Gaza,' Doukas said before finally pointing out that the number 'of Israelis who have been granted a Greek Golden Visa has increased by over 90%'. While the Athens Municipality announced plans in August 2024 to upgrade its anti-graffiti service and launch a new cleanliness app, Jewish organizations note "inconsistent" cleanup efforts, particularly in central Athens.
