The U.S. State Department has officially revoked the visas of British punk-rap duo Bob Vylan following their controversial performance at the Glastonbury Festival, where they led the crowd in chants of “Death to the IDF” and “Free Palestine.”
The U.S. State Department has officially revoked the visas of British punk-rap duo Bob Vylan following their controversial performance at the Glastonbury Festival, where they led the crowd in chants of “Death to the IDF” and “Free Palestine.” The incident has sparked widespread condemnation from political leaders, Jewish organizations, and the public.
Earlier, a senior State Department official confirmed to The Daily Wire that the department was “already looking at revocation” of the duo’s visas ahead of their planned U.S. tour in October and November. The official emphasized that under the Trump administration, the U.S. government does not issue visas to individuals who support terrorism.
In the United Kingdom, the performance has led to significant backlash. The BBC, which broadcast the festival live, admitted it should have cut the livestream of Bob Vylan’s set and has no plans to make the performance available on demand. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the comments as “appalling hate speech,” and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy demanded an explanation from the BBC for airing the performance.
The Israeli embassy in London expressed deep concern over the incident, stating that such rhetoric raises serious questions about the normalization of extremist language and the glorification of violence. Avon and Somerset Police are reviewing footage of the performance to determine if any offenses were committed that would require a criminal investigation.
In response to the backlash, Bobby Vylan posted on social media, “I said what I said,” standing by his remarks. The duo remains unapologetic, asserting that their actions were a form of political expression and solidarity with the Palestinian Arab cause.
