Britain excuses violent chants against Israel, normalizing antisemitism while rewarding extremists with global platforms.
British authorities have chosen indulgence over principle. Following weeks of review, Avon and Somerset Police announced no further action will be taken over explicit calls for violence against the Israel Defense Forces during a June performance at the Glastonbury Festival.
On stage, Bob Vylan’s frontman led chants of “death, death to the IDF”—a statement that would be unthinkable if aimed at any other army or people. Yet British police concluded the incident failed to meet the prosecution threshold set by the Crown Prosecution Service, citing freedom of speech and insufficient likelihood of conviction.
The decision exposes a dangerous double standard. Israel’s defenders are scrutinized relentlessly, while open incitement against Jewish self-defense is waved through as artistic expression. Though Keir Starmer condemned the remarks, condemnation without consequence has become a hallmark of Europe’s moral paralysis.
The BBC drew fierce criticism for continuing to livestream the performance, later issuing a carefully worded apology. Disturbingly, band members later claimed BBC staff praised the set backstage—suggesting institutional comfort with rhetoric that glorifies violence against Israelis.
Police interviewed witnesses and contacted hundreds of citizens, yet still concluded that chanting death at Israel’s army did not cross Britain’s criminal red line. Jewish community groups were consulted, but consultation is not protection—nor is it justice.
The contrast with international responses is telling. The United States Department of State revoked Bob Vylan’s visa ahead of a U.S. tour, citing concerns about glorifying violence and hatred. European venues followed suit, quietly acknowledging what British authorities would not: words matter, and calls for death are not harmless slogans.
Across Europe, Israel is increasingly treated as uniquely illegitimate, and Jewish safety becomes collateral damage in the process. When chants calling for the destruction of Israel’s defenders are normalized on national stages, antisemitism is no longer fringe—it is institutional.
Israel stands firm, defending itself against terror and incitement alike. Britain, meanwhile, has sent a grim message: hatred aimed at Israel is tolerated—even celebrated—so long as it wears the costume of “culture.”
