Latest news with #GlastonburyFestivalofContemporaryPerformingArts
Vancouver Sun
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Vancouver Sun
How the antisemitic meltdown at the Glastonbury Festival unfolded
When Pascal Robinson-Foster, 34, a rapper from Ipswich, U.K., who goes by 'Bobby Vylan' came on stage Saturday afternoon at Britain's Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts in front of a Palestine flag, there was already tension in the festival's executive offices. It was not yet centred on Bob Vylan, the rap duo who are newly infamous for leading the audience at Britain's leading summer pop cultural event in a chant calling for death to Israeli soldiers, but who on Saturday were a downticket entry on the West Holts stage, which showcases reggae, hip hop, jazz, beats and electronica. The most pressing concern was about a similar protest from Kneecap, the Northern Irish rap trio, one of whose members faces a terrorism charge for flying a Hezbollah flag at a show in London last year. That charge prompted U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer to say Kneecap's presence on this year's Glastonbury lineup was 'inappropriate.' Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. So when the British Broadcasting Corporation belatedly said it regrets not pulling its live broadcast during Bob Vylan's anti-Israel provocations, it is not because it did not expect controversy over the Mideast at all. The BBC had already decided not to broadcast Kneecap live. And just last week, BBC Director-General Tim Davie announced new editorial guidelines about hate speech, including that broadcasting it could constitute a criminal offence, if it is 'intended to stir up hatred relating to religious belief.' What followed, then, was predictable if not specifically expected. Avon and Somerset Police have announced a criminal investigation under hate crime law into Bob Vylan's performance, which is classed as a 'public order incident.' 'Free! Free!' Vylan chanted into the mic, to which an audible portion of the crowd replied 'Palestine!' 'All right, but have you heard this one though? Death Death to the IDF,' he said. IDF is the Israel Defense Forces. He repeated it five times, backed similarly by some of the audience, then said, 'hell yeah, from the river to the sea, Palestine must be, will be, inshallah, it will be free.' He also spoke to the audience about working for 'f—ing Zionists' at his record label. Bob Vylan were followed in their performance by Kneecap, but not on the BBC live feed. Festival organizers said they were 'appalled,' and that Bob Vylan's behaviour went against its mission of 'hope, unity, peace and love.' BBC staff have reported feeling ashamed at how long this diatribe was allowed to continue in the live stream. The BBC itself said in a statement Sunday: '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. The BBC respects freedom of expression but stands firmly against incitement to violence. The antisemitic sentiments expressed by Bob Vylan were utterly unacceptable and have no place on our airwaves.' The segment has been removed from streaming services, and the BBC has launched a review. The British broadcast regulator Ofcom said the BBC 'has questions to answer' and that it has been urgently investigating what procedures were in place to ensure the BBC complied with its own editorial guidelines. Britain's Chief Rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, said the episode was 'a time of national shame' that 'brings confidence in our national broadcaster's ability to treat antisemitism seriously to a new low.' 'It should trouble all decent people that now, one need only couch their outright incitement to violence and hatred as edgy political commentary, for ordinary people to not only fail to see it for what it is, but also to cheer it, chant it and celebrate it,' Mirvis wrote. In response to the fallout, which now includes a ban from the United States, the band Bob Vylan posted a statement that read, in part: 'We are not for the death of Jews, Arabs or any other race or group of people. We are for the dismantling of a violent military machine. A machine whose own soldiers were told to use 'unnecessary lethal force' against innocent civilians waiting for aid.' That is a reference to a news report Friday in the left-wing Israeli newspaper Haaretz that claimed Israel's Military Advocate General has opened an investigation into possible war crimes over the allegedly deliberate shooting of Gazan civilians in chaotic scenes near aid distribution stations. Hundreds of people have been killed in Gaza in the past month attempting to access food aid, according to Hamas-run Gazan health authorities whose accounts cannot be independently verified. After Israel lifted its 10-week blockade of food shipments into Gaza in May, emergency aid has been delivered by the newly created U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, whose security is overseen by the Israeli military. Speaking to the Reuters news agency, the Israeli military denied the claim of deliberate shooting of civilians at aid distribution centres. It said it was trying to improve the 'operational response' in these areas, and said some incidents were being reviewed by appropriate authorities. 'Any allegation of a deviation from the law or IDF directives will be thoroughly examined, and further action will be taken as necessary,' it said, according to Reuters. International reactions were swift to the live broadcasting of Bob Vylan's 'Death to the IDF' chant. The U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, Christopher Landau, announced Monday the State Department has revoked visas for the performers '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.' In Canada, Liberal MP Anthony Housefather said this was a good idea, and said on social media he had been in touch with Minister of Public Safety Gary Anandasangaree to recommend Canada follow the American lead. Opposition Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner said Canada should do the same, and tagged the minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship, Lena Diab, in a social media post. This is a good decision by the United States. The incitement by Bob Vylan and his band at Glastonbury have no place in North America. I have been in touch with the Minister of Public Safety and believe that Mr. Vylan's actions should render him inadmissible to Canada. A Public Safety spokesperson said he could not say whether that would happen, and that this would be a question for border services. The Canada Border Services Agency said it was not in a position to comment on this specific case, and said admissibility decisions are made 'case-by-case,' based on information available at a person's time of entry, and by sharing relevant information on border and national security issues with other agencies and countries. It is not clear Bob Vylan has any plans to come to Canada. Their website lists upcoming tour dates in Britain and Europe, and American stops later in the fall, now presumably cancelled. Promotional material for a tour by the American-Canadian rapper Grandson with stops in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto and Montreal lists Bob Vylan as a co-headliner on American dates, but not the Canadian ones. The group was also dropped by their agent, United Talent Agency. 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Edmonton Journal
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Edmonton Journal
How the antisemitic meltdown at the Glastonbury Festival unfolded
Article content When Pascal Robinson-Foster, 34, a rapper from Ipswich, U.K., who goes by 'Bobby Vylan' came on stage Saturday afternoon at Britain's Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts in front of a Palestine flag, there was already tension in the festival's executive offices. It was not yet centred on Bob Vylan, the rap duo who are newly infamous for leading the audience at Britain's leading summer pop cultural event in a chant calling for death to Israeli soldiers, but who on Saturday were a downticket entry on the West Holts stage, which showcases reggae, hip hop, jazz, beats and electronica.
Calgary Herald
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
How the antisemitic meltdown at the Glastonbury Festival unfolded
When Pascal Robinson-Foster, 34, a rapper from Ipswich, U.K., who goes by 'Bobby Vylan' came on stage Saturday afternoon at Britain's Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts in front of a Palestine flag, there was already tension in the festival's executive offices. Article content It was not yet centred on Bob Vylan, the rap duo who are newly infamous for leading the audience at Britain's leading summer pop cultural event in a chant calling for death to Israeli soldiers, but who on Saturday were a downticket entry on the West Holts stage, which showcases reggae, hip hop, jazz, beats and electronica. Article content Article content The most pressing concern was about a similar protest from Kneecap, the Northern Irish rap trio, one of whose members faces a terrorism charge for flying a Hezbollah flag at a show in London last year. That charge prompted U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer to say Kneecap's presence on this year's Glastonbury lineup was 'inappropriate.' Article content Article content So when the British Broadcasting Corporation belatedly said it regrets not pulling its live broadcast during Bob Vylan's anti-Israel provocations, it is not because it did not expect controversy over the Mideast at all. The BBC had already decided not to broadcast Kneecap live. And just last week, BBC Director-General Tim Davie announced new editorial guidelines about hate speech, including that broadcasting it could constitute a criminal offence, if it is 'intended to stir up hatred relating to religious belief.' Article content Article content What followed, then, was predictable if not specifically expected. Avon and Somerset Police have announced a criminal investigation under hate crime law into Bob Vylan's performance, which is classed as a 'public order incident.' Article content 'All right, but have you heard this one though? Death Death to the IDF,' he said. Article content Article content IDF is the Israel Defense Forces. He repeated it five times, backed similarly by some of the audience, then said, 'hell yeah, from the river to the sea, Palestine must be, will be, inshallah, it will be free.' Article content He also spoke to the audience about working for 'f—ing Zionists' at his record label. Article content Festival organizers said they were 'appalled,' and that Bob Vylan's behaviour went against its mission of 'hope, unity, peace and love.'
Politico
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Politico
US revokes visas for musicians after band leads chants against Israeli military
The State Department has revoked visas for a London-based punk duo set to tour the U.S. in October after the band led a crowd of festival-goers in England in calling for the death of the Israeli military over the weekend. Deputy State Secretary Christopher Landau confirmed Monday that the State Department had revoked U.S. visas for members of the band Bob Vylan over comments the group made at the Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts. 'The @StateDept has revoked the US visas for the members of the Bob Vylan band 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,' Landau posted on X. The State Department's decision came after Bobby Vylan, lead singer of the duo, led more than 200,000 attendees at the festival in chants of 'free, free Palestine' and 'death, death to the IDF' — the Israel Defense Forces. The group has 20 performance dates planned for cities in the U.S. starting in October. It is unclear whether the band will still be able to perform this fall. The legendary music festival in the southwest of England was livestreamed across the globe, and Vylan — real name Pascal Robinson-Foster — quickly received both backlash and support for his comments. The BBC on Monday told POLITICO it should have pulled a livestream of the duo, condemning the chants as antisemitism. Warren Stephens, the U.S. ambassador to the U.K., also called the chants 'antisemitic' and a 'disgrace.' 'There should be no place for this hateful incitement or tolerance of antisemitism in the U.K.,' he added. The duo is also no longer listed on their talent agency's website, United Talent Agency. But Robinson-Foster has defended his performance. In a post on Instagram, the musician said that he has been inundated with messages of both support and hate but that 'it is incredibly important that we encourage and inspire future generations to pick up the torch that was passed to us.' 'Let us display to them loudly and visibly the right thing to do when we want and need change. Let them see us marching in the streets, campaigning on ground level, organising online and shouting about it on any and every stage that we are offered,' he said. He added in his caption, 'I said what I said.' The duo was not the only performers at the music festival to share support for Palestinians in the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel. Irish rap group Kneecap also led the crowd in chants of 'free Palestine' at the festival. Their performance was not livestreamed.
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
Glastonbury mixed pop and politics long before the Bob Vylan controversy
LONDON -- The Glastonbury Festival is making headlines for controversy rather than music. The likes of Olivia Rodrigo, Rod Stewart, Neil Young, Charli XCX, Busta Rhymes and Doechii played to tens of thousands onsite, and millions more on TV, during Britain's biggest and most famous music extravaganza. But it's little-known rap-punk duo Bob Vylan attracting politicians' ire — and a police probe — after leading a chant calling for 'death' to the Israeli military. This isn't the first time politics has collided with pop at the festival. For half a century, Britain's big political and cultural divides have found their way onstage at Glastonbury. The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, to give it its full name, was founded by Michael Eavis in 1970 on his Worthy Farm, 120 miles (some 200 kilometers) southwest of London. It's still run by the 90-year-old farmer and his daughter, Emily Eavis. Originally a hippie happening with a 1 pound ticket price (about 20 pounds or $27 today), Glastonbury has largely shed its counterculture cachet. These days, tickets for the three-day event cost close to 400 pounds. But it remains famous for its eclectic lineup, unique atmosphere and commitment to environmentalism and other progressive causes. This year's event drew about 200,000 people to see almost 4,000 performers on 120 stages, alongside film screenings and live debates on a variety of issues. Glastonbury was founded in a spirit of hippie idealism that has never entirely faded. In the 1980s, the festival donated some of its profits to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, which protested U.S. nuclear weapons on British soil. It continues to support charities including Oxfam and Greenpeace. By the late 1980s, attendees included New Age 'travelers' involved with the U.K.'s unofficial and anarchic rave scene. In 1990, some travelers clashed with security at the site, leading to significant damage and more than 200 arrests. Since then, the festival's security and organization have grown increasingly professional, sparking regret from some fans who feel it has lost its alternative spirit. The 2016 festival coincided with the U.K.'s referendum on European Union membership, and the decision to leave the bloc — which most young people opposed — overshadowed the event. Many performers mentioned Brexit and the dispirited mood, including headliner Adele, who urged people to 'look after each other.' Performers have often vented their opposition to politicians from the stage. In 2019, rapper Stormzy led the crowd in 'F___ Boris' chants aimed at then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson. This year, Irish rappers Kneecap directed the same expletive at Prime Minister Keir Starmer. In contrast, then-Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn was warmly received at the festival in 2017 after doing better than expected against the Conservatives in a general election. Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza has provoked heightened emotions that spilled over onto Glastonbury's stages. Before the event, some politicians called for Glastonbury to cancel a performance by Irish-language hip-hop trio Kneecap, whose pro-Palestinian comments, critics say, have crossed a line into support for violence. Kneecap member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh has been charged under the Terrorism Act with supporting a proscribed organization for allegedly waving a Hezbollah flag at a concert in London in November. He denies the charge, and Kneecap has accused critics of trying to silence the band because of its support for the Palestinian cause. Kneecap's energetic set included plenty of pro-Palestinian comments and criticism of the government. But it was the act that preceded them, Bob Vylan, that caused a furor when a member of the duo led chants of 'death to the IDF,' the Israel Defense Forces. The Avon and Somerset Police force said officers would review video evidence 'to determine whether any offenses may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation. Michael and Emily Eavis said Bob Vylan had 'very much crossed a line.' They said 'there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence.' Britain's publicly funded national broadcaster is under fire for showing Bob Vylan's set, one of dozens of Glastonbury performances it streamed live online. The BBC said Monday that it should have cut off the broadcast after the 'antisemitic' and 'utterly unacceptable' comments, and has removed the performance from its website. But the government is demanding to know what 'due diligence' it did on Bob Vylan before the broadcast. Some media experts say the broadcaster is in a difficult position. Steven Barnett, professor of communications at the University of Westminster, said Britain's influential right-wing press,' including newspapers such as the Daily Mail and The Sun, frequently attack the BBC, 'for both commercial and ideological reasons.'
