BBC deemed UK punk-rap duo 'high risk' before controversial anti-Israel performance
The duo performed a high-energy set at Glastonbury Festival on Saturday, which ultimately turned into a political platform for the group's singer to shout out anti-Israel rhetoric.
While holding the microphone, singer Bobby Vylan shouted, "Death, death to the IDF [Israel Defense Forces]," several times before turning the microphone toward the crowd to get attendees to repeat the chant. The IDF is the national military of Israel. Videos from the crowd's view showed several Palestinian flags waving as the performer and attendees shouted back and forth.
The band's performance was met with widespread condemnation by event organizers and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who slammed the "appalling hate speech." The BBC — the music festival's TV partner — released a statement promising to take action to "ensure proper accountability" and expressed its "regrets" for not pulling the live-set off the air.
The British broadcaster also reported that a number of their staff members have been moved off of their music and live events team following the incident.
In a statement released by the BBC on Thursday, the broadcaster conceded that the punk duo were deemed "high risk" along with seven other acts at the festival, but were "deemed suitable for live streaming with appropriate mitigations."
"Prior to Glastonbury, a decision was taken that compliance risks could be mitigated in real time on the live stream – through the use of language or content warnings - without the need for a delay. This was clearly not the case," the BBC reported.
BBC Chair Samir Shah apologized to all viewers, and "particularly the Jewish community," for allowing the "artist" Bob Vylan to express "unconscionable antisemitic views" live on their network in a statement released Thursday.
"This was unquestionably an error of judgment," Shah stated. "I was very pleased to note that as soon as this came to the notice of Tim Davie - who was on the Glastonbury site at the time visiting BBC staff - he took immediate action and instructed the team to withdraw the performance from on demand coverage."
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, BBC Director-General Tim Davie also offered his thoughts on the situation, saying he "deeply regrets that such offensive and deplorable behavior appeared on the BBC" and wanted to "apologize to our viewers and listeners, and in particular the Jewish community."
The BBC noted in their statement on Thursday that any future music performances deemed to be "high risk" will no longer be broadcast or streamed live, and that they will provide "more detailed, practical guidance" on the threshold for withdrawing a live performance moving forward.
Following the outcry caused by their Glastonbury set, Bob Vylan has been dropped from United Talent Agency and their U.S. visas have been revoked by the State Department.
When asked for comment on the updates reported by The Hollywood Reporter, the BBC referred Fox News Digital to their statements issued on Thursday.
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