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The British punk-rap duo Bob Vylan has been denied entry to the United States after sparking international controversy with a fiery and politically charged performance at the Glastonbury Music Festival on Saturday. The band, known for their outspoken social activism and anti-establishment lyrics, led thousands of festivalgoers in pro-Palestinian chants, including “Free, free Palestine” and the incendiary “Death, death to the IDF,” in reference to Israel’s military.
The performance prompted an immediate backlash, culminating Monday in the revocation of the group’s U.S. visas just days before they were scheduled to begin a 20-city North American tour.
“Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country,” wrote Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau on X, formerly Twitter. “The State Department has revoked the U.S. visas for the members of the Bob Vylan band in light of their hateful tirade at Glastonbury, including leading the crowd in death chants.”
The move comes amid rising global tensions over the Israel-Palestine conflict, and as debates around the limits of protest and free expression reignite on both sides of the Atlantic.
“I Said What I Said”: Bob Vylan Responds
The London-based duo, vocalist Bobby Vylan (Pascal Robinson-Foster) and drummer Bobbie Vylan, formed in 2017 and have since built a cult following with their unfiltered punk-rap fusion and revolutionary messaging. But their Glastonbury appearance has catapulted them from underground heroes to the center of a transatlantic diplomatic and cultural firestorm.
On stage, Bobby Vylan declared:
“Hell yeah, from the river to the sea, Palestine must be, will be, inshallah, it will be free.”
He also incited the crowd to chant “Death to the IDF” a moment that many in the media and government have since labeled incitement to violence.
In an Instagram statement posted Sunday, Bobby doubled down on his stance:
“I said what I said,” he wrote. “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.”
“Let us display to them loudly and visibly the right thing to do when we want and need change,” he added, referencing both the war in Gaza and his daughter’s school meal choices.
BBC Under Fire for Airing the Set Uncensored
The BBC, which aired Glastonbury live, broadcast Bob Vylan’s set in its entirety, a decision now under intense scrutiny. The broadcaster later issued a statement Monday admitting regret:
“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.”
The statement followed pressure from Ofcom, the UK’s broadcast regulator, which said the BBC “clearly has questions to answer.”
A BBC spokesperson further labeled the on-stage statements as “antisemitic sentiments” and “utterly unacceptable,”confirming the performance will not be available on its streaming service, iPlayer.
Glastonbury Organizers “Appalled,” Advocacy Groups Applaud Ban
Organizers of Glastonbury distanced themselves from the controversy in a statement reported by several outlets:
“We were appalled by the comments, which crossed a line. While we encourage artists to speak freely, hate speech is not welcome on our stages.”
In the U.S., advocacy groups like StopAntisemitism quickly mobilized, lobbying the government to act before the band could enter the country for their Inertia Tour, which included planned stops in Washington, DC, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
“This antisemite must have his visa denied/rescinded – his hate is not welcome here,” the group tweeted, naming Bobby Vylan specifically.
The U.S. government’s swift response was widely praised by pro-Israel groups and conservative commentators, while free speech advocates and pro-Palestinian organizations decried the visa ban as an infringement on artistic and political expression.
Police Investigate, Legal Questions Loom
Meanwhile, UK police confirmed on Sunday they are reviewing footage from the West Holts stage to determine whether any laws were broken during the performance.
“Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation,” police said in a public statement.
Under British law, incitement to violence and hate speech are criminal offenses, though prosecutions for political speech remain rare and contentious.
Kneecap’s Pro-Palestinian Performance Censored by BBC
Ironically, while Bob Vylan’s performance aired live, Irish rap group Kneecap, who also expressed solidarity with Palestine on stage at Glastonbury, was not broadcast by the BBC, citing editorial guidelines.
During their set, several Palestinian flags waved across the crowd as Kneecap member Liam O’Hanna wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh fired shots at newly elected UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer:
“The Prime Minister of your country, not mine, said he didn’t want us to play, so f**k Keir Starmer.”
O’Hanna, who faces trial in August under the UK’s Terrorism Act for holding a Hezbollah flag at a previous concert in London, also praised Palestine Action, a UK-based activist group that the government has moved to ban.
Glastonbury’s Radical Legacy Meets 2025’s Global Divides
Founded in the early 1970s with roots in hippie counterculture and political dissent, Glastonbury has long prided itself on platforming voices outside the mainstream. The Left Field Tent, a mainstay of the festival, hosted talks this year including “Confronting the Rise of the Far Right” and “Saving the Planet but Not Leaving Workers Behind.”
But as global tensions over Gaza deepen and scrutiny of protest speech intensifies, the line between activism and incitement, between freedom of expression and hate, is being redrawn in real time.
Bob Vylan’s saga poses an urgent question for the cultural world in 2025:
Who gets to speak truth to power, and where does the truth become punishable?