UK govt condemns ‘dying to the IDF’ chants at Glastonbury

A British punk-rap group confronted rising criticism on Sunday for making anti-Israel remarks at Glastonbury pageant which have sparked a police probe.

Bob Vylan led crowds in chants of “Dying, dying to the IDF”, a reference to the acronym for the Israeli navy, throughout their set on Saturday.

British law enforcement officials are additionally inspecting feedback by Irish rap trio Kneecap, who’ve likewise been extremely essential of Israel and its ongoing navy marketing campaign towards the Palestinian militant group Hamas within the Gaza Strip.

One among Kneecap’s members wore a T-shirt devoted to Palestine Motion Group, which is about to be banned beneath UK terror legal guidelines.

The UK authorities has “strongly condemned” Bob Vylan’s chants, which pageant organisers mentioned had “very a lot crossed a line”.

“We’re urgently reminding everybody concerned within the manufacturing of the pageant that there is no such thing as a place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence,” the pageant mentioned in an announcement.

Avon and Somerset police mentioned Saturday that video proof could be assessed by officers “to find out whether or not any offences might have been dedicated that may require a prison investigation”.

– ‘Life is sacred’ –

The chants about Israel’s navy, condemned by the Israeli embassy in London, have been led by Bob Vylan’s frontman Bobby Vylan.

They have been broadcast reside on the BBC, which airs protection of Britain’s hottest music pageant.

“I assumed it is appalling, to be trustworthy,” UK minister Wes Streeting mentioned of the chants, including that “all life is sacred”.

“I feel the BBC and Glastonbury have gotten inquiries to reply about how we noticed such a spectacle on our screens,” he informed Sky Information.

The Israel embassy mentioned in an announcement late Saturday “it was “deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage on the Glastonbury Competition”.

However Streeting, Labour’s well being secretary, additionally took intention on the embassy, telling it to “get your individual home so as”.

“I feel there is a severe level there by the Israeli embassy. I want they’d take the violence of their very own residents in the direction of Palestinians extra significantly,” he mentioned, citing settler violence within the West Financial institution.

A spokesperson for the BBC mentioned Vylan’s feedback have been “deeply offensive” and the broadcaster had “no plans” to make the efficiency accessible on its on-demand service.

– ‘A joke’ –

Kneecap, who’ve made headlines in current months with their pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel stance, led crowds in chanting abuse towards UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Starmer, and different politicians, had mentioned the band shouldn’t carry out after its member Liam O’Hanna, recognized by his stage title Mo Chara, was charged with a terror offence.

He appeared in court docket earlier this month accused of getting displayed a Hezbollah flag whereas saying “Up Hamas, Up Hezbollah” after a video resurfaced of a London live performance final yr.

The Iran-backed Lebanese pressure Hezbollah and the Palestinian militant group Hamas are banned within the UK, and it’s an offence to precise help for them.

O’Hanna has denied the cost and informed the Guardian newspaper in an interview revealed on Friday that “it was a joke — we’re enjoying characters”.

Kneecap repeatedly lead crowds in chants of “Free Palestine” throughout their concert events. Their followers revere them for his or her anti-establishment stance and criticism of British imperialism however detractors name them extremists.

The group apologised this yr after a 2023 video emerged showing to indicate one singer calling for the dying of British Conservative lawmakers.

Israel launched an offensive towards Hamas within the Palestinian territory of Gaza after the Islamist militant group launched an assault that resulted within the deaths of 1,219 folks, largely civilians, based on an AFP tally based mostly on Israeli official figures.

Israel’s retaliatory navy marketing campaign has killed no less than 56,412 folks in Gaza, additionally largely civilians, based on Hamas-run territory’s well being ministry. The United Nations considers these figures to be dependable.

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