BBC says regrets letting Glastonbury ‘death to the IDF' chant go live, accuses rap duo Bob Vylan of ‘antisemitism'
LONDON, June 30 — British public broadcaster the BBC apologised today for not pulling a live stream of a British punk-rap group's performance at the Glastonbury music festival after they made anti-Israel remarks.
'With hindsight we should have pulled the stream during the performance. We regret this did not happen,' the broadcaster said of Bob Vylan's show, in which the group led the crowds in chants of 'Death to the IDF', the initials of the Israeli military.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on the weekend there was 'no excuse for this kind of appalling hate speech'.
The BBC said that 'millions of people' watched their coverage of the festival 'but one performance within our livestreams included comments that were deeply offensive'.
'The BBC respects freedom of expression but stands firmly against incitement to violence,' it added.
'The antisemitic sentiments expressed by Bob Vylan were utterly unacceptable and have no place on our airwaves.'
Media watchdog Ofcom said Monday it was 'very concerned' and that the BBC clearly had questions to answer.
'We have been speaking to the BBC over the weekend and we are obtaining further information as a matter of urgency,' it added. — AFP
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