Police probe UK bands for ‘hate speech’ during Glastonbury set

Police are investigating two UK bands following their controversial “free, free Palestine” chants at the Glastonbury Festival.

Police have put UK bands Bob Vylan and Kneecap on notice following their controversial performances at the Glastonbury festival on Saturday.

Avon and Somerset Police are examining video footage from the famed music festival to determine if criminal offences were committed when bands Bob Vylan and Kneecap took to the stage.

The investigation was sparked after British punk duo Bob Vylan led festival-goers in chanting “free, free Palestine” and “death, death to the IDF” – referencing the Israel Defense Forces – to the packed-out crowd, many of whom were waving Palestinian flags.

Bobby Vylan of Bob Vylan performs on stage during Glastonbury festival. Picture: Leon Neal/Getty Images

The singer crowd-surfs while chanting ‘free, free Palestine’ and ‘death, death to the IDF’. Picture: Leon Neal/Getty Images

Irish rap trio Kneecap took to the West Holts Stage after Bob Vylan and followed suit, encouraging concertgoers to chant “free Palestine” during their set.

While onstage, band member Naoise O Caireallain, who performs as Moglai Bap, also slammed UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer as their fans waved banners and wore face paint to support the band.

“The Prime Minister of your country, not mine, said he didn’t want us to play, so f**k Keir Starmer,” he told the crowd.

Provaí of Kneecap makes a statement during day four at Glastonbury. Picture: Leon Neal/Getty Images

The performance came just one after before JJ O Dochartaigh, aka DJ Próvaí, was seen wearing an anti-Israel campaign group ‘Palestine Action’ T-shirt in a social media post.

The stage incidents have since prompted police to review video evidence from both performances to assess whether to proceed with criminal investigations.

Dochartaigh also wore a ‘We Are All Palestine Action’ T-shirt ahead of the band’s performance. Picture: X

“We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon,” Avon and Somerset Police tweeted on X.

“Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation.”

The performances have also drawn criticism from the UK government, with a spokesperson saying in a statement, “We strongly condemn the threatening comments made by Bob Vylan at Glastonbury.”

Mo Chara and Móglaí Bap of Kneecap during their Glastonbury set. Picture: Leon Neal/Getty Images

Social media has also exploded with outrage over the bands’ controversial appearances, with US rapper Azealia Banks among the voices condemning the performances.

“That is actually crazy. To allow an artist to incite a mob and shout death upon anyone at a major music festival is CRAZZZZYYYY,” she tweeted on X. “And like how does he think that’s going to accomplish anything? Wooooow the UK is losing its mind.”

“There’s nothing worse than artists who lose their sense of subjectivity. The art of ‘doing everything to express what I feel’ should be a matter for therapy, not for performance,” another echoed.

“Way to turn a music festival into hate festival. So sad and crazy,” another commented.

While some X users argued that the bands were simply exercising their “freedom of speech”, their comments were mostly drowned out.

“This is NOT free speech. This IS HATE SPEECH! Absolutely disgusting that this allowed,” one tweeted, with another noting, “I remember when music festivals were about coming together around music and unity with fellow humans. I guess this one is a Nazi death rally … glad I’m too old for this.”

But fans of Kneecap were not fazed by the controversy.

Gemma Gibson, 41, from Newcastle, told the Irish Times before their set she was “really excited” to see Kneecap perform, dismissing calls for the performance to be cancelled.

“Well, that would be completely against everything that Glastonbury stands for,” she said. “This is where they should be.”

Greg Robertson, 30, told the newspaper, “I don’t think politicians should really have too much of an impact on a weekend where everyone’s trying to have fun and trying to maybe create a more optimistic future.”

Originally published as Police probe UK bands for ‘hate speech’ during Glastonbury set