The BBC “regrets” not pulling its livestream of a Glastonbury performance in which rap duo Bob Vylan chanted “death, death to the IDF.” IDF stands for Israel Defense Forces.

The television partner of the U.K.’s biggest music festival released a statement Monday as the fest wound down, hours after U.S. star Olivia Rodrigo wrapped up with her headline set.

The BBC drew widespread criticism for airing the set on its livestream. “Millions of people tuned in to enjoy Glastonbury this weekend across the BBC’s output, but one performance within our livestreams included comments that were deeply offensive.”

The corporation continued: “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. We welcome Glastonbury’s condemnation of the performance.”

The judgment on Saturday to issue a warning on screen while streaming “was in line” with the BBC’s editorial guidelines, it also said, and a decision was made not to make the set available on demand. “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.”

Concluded the BBC: “In light of this weekend, we will look at our guidance around live events so we can be sure teams are clear on when it is acceptable to keep output on air.”

In a statement posted to Instagram, one half of the rap duo, Bobby Vylan, said: “Teaching our children to speak up for the change they want and need is the only way that we make this world a better place…. As we grow older and our fire starts to possibly dim under the suffocation of adult life and all its responsibilities, it is incredibly important that we encourage and inspire future generations to pick up the torch that was passed to us.”

But Glastonbury organizer Emily Eavis also took to the social media platform to condemn the anti-IDF chants. “Their chants very much crossed a line and we are urgently reminding everyone involved in the production of the Festival that there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech, or incitement to violence,” Eavis wrote.

Eavis continued: “As a festival, we stand against all forms of war and terrorism…we will always believe in — and actively campaign for — hope, unity, peace and love”, adding a performer’s comments “should never be seen as a tacit endorsement of their opinions and beliefs…. With almost 4,000 performances at Glastonbury 2025, there will inevitably be artists and speakers appearing on our stages whose views we do not share.”

U.K. prime minister Keir Starmer was among the critics of Bob Vylan’s set.

It was a politically charged event this year. It often is as Glastonbury attracts a left-leaning crowd, but more so than ever, the polarizing politics of the current day were felt. Also on Saturday, Irish rap trio Kneecap voiced their pro-Palestine views and used the platform to criticize the U.K. and U.S. governments, as well as the U.S. media.

The BBC has said it regrets not pulling the live stream of Bob Vylan’s “unacceptable” Glastonbury set – as Ofcom said the broadcaster has “questions to answer”.

The corporation has faced mounting criticism over airing the performance on Glastonbury’s West Holts Stage, during which the rap-punk duo’s frontman Bobby Vylan led chants of: “Free, free Palestine” and: “Death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)”.

Sir Keir Starmer condemned the remarks as “appalling hate speech”, while festival organiser Emily Eavis said they “crossed a line” – and media watchdog Ofcom has now also released a statement raising concerns.

This morning, a spokesperson for the prime minister did not directly answer when asked if he still had confidence in BBC director-general Tim Davie.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:32 What is the Glastonbury controversy?

During Bob Vylan’s set on Saturday, they performed in front of a screen that showed several messages, including one that said Israel’s actions in Gaza amount to “genocide”.

Footage from the performance shows some of the crowd joining in with the chants.

Amid criticism afterwards, the BBC said there had been a warning on screen about potential “strong and discriminatory language”, but described the comments as “deeply offensive”.

On Monday, a spokesperson released an updated statement, saying the comments were antisemitic and the performance should have been taken off air.

“The BBC respects freedom of expression but stands firmly against incitement to violence,” the statement said. “The antisemitic sentiments expressed by Bob Vylan were utterly unacceptable and have no place on our airwaves. We welcome Glastonbury’s condemnation of the performance.”

Image: Pic: PA

A judgement to issue a warning on screen while streaming online was in line with editorial guidelines, the spokesperson added, and the performance has not been made available to view on demand.

“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.

“In light of this weekend, we will look at our guidance around live events so we can be sure teams are clear on when it is acceptable to keep output on air.”

Ofcom’s reaction

An Ofcom spokesperson said: “We are very concerned about the live stream of this performance, and the BBC clearly has questions to answer.

“We have been speaking to the BBC over the weekend and we are obtaining further information as a matter of urgency, including what procedures were in place to ensure compliance with its own editorial guidelines.”

In a statement shared on Instagram on Sunday, Bobby Vylan said: “Teaching our children to speak up for the change they want and need is the only way that we make this world a better place.

“As we grow older and our fire starts to possibly dim under the suffocation of adult life and all its responsibilities, it is incredibly important that we encourage and inspire future generations to pick up the torch that was passed to us.”

The latest developments follows severe condemnation from the prime minister, who said there was “no excuse for this kind of appalling hate speech”.

Image: Mo Chara of Kneecap at Glastonbury. Pic: Reuters

Sir Keir also referenced a previous statement that Belfast rap group Kneecap, who were on stage after Bob Vylan, should have been removed from the line-up after one member was charged with a terrorism offence.

“I said that Kneecap should not be given a platform and that goes for any other performers making threats or inciting violence,” he said.

Ms Eavis, whose father Michael co-founded the festival, said in a statement that Bob Vylan had “very much crossed a line”.

She added: “Their chants very much crossed a line and we are urgently reminding everyone involved in the production of the festival that there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence.”

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The Israeli embassy posted on X in the hours after the set, saying it was “deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric”.

It said the slogan used “advocates for the dismantling of the State of Israel”.

In a separate post on X on Sunday, Israel’s foreign ministry published graphic footage following the attack by Hamas on the Nova festival in Israel on 7 October 2023, and the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) said it would be formally complaining to the BBC over its “outrageous decision” to broadcast the performance.

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Speaking to Sky News’ Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips on behalf of the government, Health Secretary Wes Streeting described the chant as “appalling”, especially at a music festival – “when there were Israelis at a similar music festival who were kidnapped, murdered, raped, and in some cases still held captive”.

He added that while “there’s no justification for inciting violence against Israelis… the way in which Israel’s conducting this war has made it extremely difficult for Israel’s allies around the world to stand by and justify”.

Lucy McMullin, who was in the crowd for Bob Vylan, told Sky News: “When there’s children and civilians being murdered and starved, then I think it’s important that people are speaking out on these issues.

“However, inciting more death and violence is not the way to do it.”

Police have said they are reviewing footage of both the Bob Vylan and Kneecap sets to assess whether any criminal offences were committed.

Speaking to Sky News earlier today, women and equalities minister Baroness Jacqui Smith said the comments “clearly” over-stepped the mark.

“I’m surprised that the BBC carried on broadcasting them live when it was obvious what was happening.”

LONDON (AP) — The BBC said Monday it should have pulled a livestream of rap duo Bob Vylan’s performance at the Glastonbury Festival, which saw the group leading crowds of music fans in chants calling for “death” to the Israeli military.

The British broadcaster called the chants “antisemitic” and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said there was no excuse for such “appalling hate speech.”

The BBC has come under heavy criticism for broadcasting the rap punk duo’s performance Saturday, when rapper Bobby Vylan led crowds attending the U.K.’s largest summer music festival in chants of “free, free Palestine” and “death, death to the IDF,” the Israel Defense Forces.

The BBC said Monday that it “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,” it said.

Bob Vylan perform on the West Holts Stage, during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset. England, Saturday, June 28, 2025. (Yui Mok/PA via AP) Photo:

Starmer said the BBC must explain “how these scenes came to be broadcast.”

Ofcom, the broadcasting regulator, said it was “very concerned” about the BBC livestream and said the broadcaster “clearly has questions to answer.”

The BBC said earlier in its defense that it had issued a warning on screen about “very strong and discriminatory language” during the livestream.

The Israeli Embassy to the U.K. said over the weekend it was “deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival.”

Bob Vylan, which formed in 2017, have released four albums mixing punk, grime and other styles with lyrics that often address issues including racism, masculinity and politics. Its two members both keep their real names secret for privacy reasons.

In a statement posted on social media, singer Bobby Vylan said he was inundated with messages of both support and hatred.

“Teaching our children to speak up for the change they want and need is the only way that we make this world a better place,” he wrote.

Police said they were aware of comments made by acts at the festival and officers will review video evidence to determine if any offenses have been committed.

The duo played Saturday afternoon right before Irish-language rap group Kneecap, another band that has drawn controversy over its stance on Middle East politics. One of its members was charged under the Terrorism Act with supporting a proscribed organization after he allegedly waved a Hezbollah flag at a concert.

Kneecap led a huge crowd in chants of “Free Palestine” at the festival.

The acts were among among 4,000 that performed in front of some 200,000 music fans this year at the Glastonbury Festival in southwest England.

Israel has faced heavy international criticism for its war conduct in Gaza. In May, the U.K., France and Canada issued a sharply worded statement calling for Israel to stop its “egregious” military actions in Gaza and criticizing Israel’s actions in the occupied West Bank.

The war has inflamed tensions around the world, triggering pro-Palestinian protests in many capitals and college campuses. Israel and its supporters say the protests are antisemitic, while critics say Israel uses such descriptions to silence opponents.

More than 6,000 people have been killed and more than 20,000 injured in Gaza since a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas collapsed in March. Since the war began in October 2023 with a Hamas attack on Israel, Israeli attacks have killed more than 56,000 people and injured 132,000, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

It doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants, but has said that women and children make up more than half the 56,000 dead. Israel says it only targets militants and blames civilian deaths on Hamas, accusing the militants of hiding among civilians, because they operate in populated areas.

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