Latest news with #DeathToIDF
Washington Post
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
With public ban on band Bob Vylan, Trump appears to ease visa privacy rules to make a point
WASHINGTON — When the United States revokes someone's visa, it is typically confidential, with few exceptions. But with British punk-rap duo Bob Vylan and others, the Trump administration appears to have eased privacy restrictions to make a public point when it deems a case particularly egregious. The State Department's number two diplomat made headlines when he posted a social media message this week saying visas for the band for an upcoming U.S. tour had been revoked. British police are investigating whether a crime was committed when the duo's frontman led the audience in chants of 'Death to the IDF' — the Israel Defense Forces — at a music festival in the U.K.
Fox News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Taylor Lorenz mocked by Piers Morgan panel after she defends band's 'Death to the IDF' chant
Former Washington Post reporter Taylor Lorenz clashed with Piers Morgan and fellow panelists on his show Monday after she adamantly defended a UK band for chanting "Death to the IDF" at a musical festival on Saturday. While performing at the Glastonbury Festival on Saturday, singer Bobby Vylan of the punk-rap duo Bob Vylan led the crowd in a "Death, death to the IDF [Israel Defense Forces]," chant against Israel's military. The band's actions drew swift backlash. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned their rhetoric as "hate speech" and their visas were revoked by the U.S. State Department. The band was also reportedly dropped by the United Talent Agency. Lorenz claimed on "Piers Morgan Uncensored" that the band was not calling for violence against Israeli soldiers but was protesting the actions of Israel's national military in the war in Gaza. "The Israeli army is committing genocide, so I completely understand why people are upset about anyone sort of calling for death, but it's important that the reason they're calling for death for this sort of amorphous military entity is because that military entity is currently slaughtering babies and committing genocide in Gaza," she began. Lorenz argued that the crowd chanting "Death to the IDF" at the concert had a right to be angry about the "genocide." She called for people upset by the band's rhetoric to "advocate for the end of the genocide." "They weren't talking about an entity," Morgan pushed back. "They were talking about the soldiers. They wanted death to the IDF soldiers." Other panelists on the show also picked apart Lorenz's argument. "If you are advocating against genocide, and you don't want people to be killed, how can you turn around and say at the same breath that you think chanting for death should be contextualized somehow?" Tel Aviv Institute senior fellow Hen Mazzig told Lorenz. "Well, yeah, because again, if an army is committing genocide and slaughtering babies and creating the highest rate of child amputees in the world, and if that is what they have done for months and years now, and then the public is rightfully outraged about that," she retorted. "Calling for their death, that's the issue —" Mazzig began as Lorenz interjected. "Calling for the death of a military entity that is currently committing genocide," she insisted. "Of soldiers!" Mazzig disagreed. "It's a compulsory army." Morgan jumped in to scold Lorenz for doubling down on the argument. "Taylor, you can't keep saying that. You don't even believe that when you're saying it. If they said death to the British army, no one's taking that as meaning the institution. They're taking it as meaning British soldiers," he explained. Lorenz compared the situation to people chanting "death to America." "When people say 'death to America,' they mean death to American imperialism that has subjugated them," she claimed. "No, they don't. They mean death to Americans!" Morgan replied. "Oh, come on!" Mazzig sighed. "That's a very generous position," co-panelist and British columnist Esther Krakue laughed. "Ask the Supreme Leader of Iran what they mean, they'll tell you exactly!" Mazzig also mocked Lorenz.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Fury as Glastonbury crowd chants 'Death to the IDF!' and 'Free Palestine!' in scenes aired live on the BBC
The Glastonbury crowd was led in chants of 'Free Palestine' and 'Death to the IDF' by act Bob Vylan on Saturday, prompting fury from supporters of Israel on social media. The English punk duo were performing directly before Irish language rap trio Kneecap, who the BBC refused to show live after a number of controversial incidents including one of its members being charged with a terror offence. Kneecap has faced calls in recent months to be stripped from the festival line-up, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer calling their performance 'not appropriate'. Mo Chara, along with bandmates Naoise Ó Caireallain (Móglaí Bap), and JJ Ó Dochartaigh (DJ Próvaí), have repeatedly argued controversy surrounding their performances is a distraction from the horrors endured by Palestinians amid Israel's war in Gaza. They said they are happy to lose income and clout in order to be 'on the right side of history', and said they hoped that 'being vocal and being unafraid' would encourage other bands to speak up on Palestine. Kneecap member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, 27, appeared in court last week after being charged for allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah while saying 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah' at a gig in November last year. On June 18 the rapper was cheered by hundreds of supporters as he arrived with bandmates Westminster Magistrates' Court in Free Mo Chara T-shirts. The BBC previously confirmed it would not livestream Kneecap's performance but would likely upload an edited version on iPlayer later - but if it hoped to avoid controversy over the war in Gaza bosses will be disappointed. In the act just before Kneecap, singer/guitarist Bobby Vylan and drummer Bobbie Vylan, who founded their band in 2017 in Ipswich, flashed up a large message in support of Palestinians while their set was being broadcast live by the BBC. The message read: 'Free Palestine. United Nations have called it a genocide. The BBC calls it a "conflict".' They then led the huge crowd in chants of 'Free Free Palestine' and 'Death Death to the IDF'. Afterwards singer Bob Vylan told fans: 'From the river to the sea Palestine must be, will be, free.' The current war in Gaza was triggered by an attack by terrorist organisation Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023 in which some 1,200 people were killed and took more than 251 people hostage. In response Israel launched a full-scale invasion of the Gaza strip which has lasted almost two years and has led to the deaths of at least 56,412 people, many children and civilians. The United Nations has said Israel's actions, which include severely limited vital aid such as food, water and medical supplies into the Gaza Strip and raiding or bombing hospitals as 'consistent with the characteristics of Genocide'. An international arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also been issued by the International Criminal Court. Israel denies it is committing genocide and claims there is no food shortage for the two million Gazans who live in the strip, something that is widely disputed by aid organisations and international bodies, which have warned thousands of babies are at risk of dying of famine. Performing on stage earlier, singer Bob Vylan was open in his and his bandmate's support for Palestinians. He said: 'Recently a list was released of people trying to stop our mates Kneecap from performing here today. And who do I see on that f***ing list, but that bald-headed c*** I used to work for.' Vylan had been speaking about a colleague at a record company he used to work at.
