Punk duo Bob Vylan has announced plans to sue the BBC for alleged defamation, stemming from the corporation's broadcast of their chants at last summer's Glastonbury Festival. The BBC had previously apologized after livestreaming the performance in June last year, which drew criticism and accusations of antisemitism against both the band and the broadcaster.
Avon and Somerset police launched a criminal investigation into the chants, but ultimately determined there was insufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction. The band, fronted by Bobby Vylan (real name Pascal Robinson-Foster), experienced several concert cancellations in the immediate aftermath of the controversy, including at festivals in Manchester and France, and a scheduled gig in Germany. Visas were also denied for a planned U.S. tour.
The band's performance included chants of "Free Palestine" and "Death to the IDF," referring to the Israeli Defense Forces. The entire set was live-streamed on BBC iPlayer before being taken down. The BBC faced criticism for not immediately cutting the broadcast after the chants, and subsequently issued an apology describing the sentiments as "utterly unacceptable."
In a social media post, Bob Vylan stated their decision to pursue legal action, asserting that the BBC "wasted no time in placing labels upon us that did not, do not and never will fit." The band contends that the BBC, as a publicly funded corporation, has failed to represent the interests of the people and their access to unbiased information. They accuse the BBC of attempting to silence opposition to events in Palestine by labeling them as antisemitic, editing their content, and blocking documentaries that challenge the corporation's narrative.
"These responses are unacceptable," the statement read. "So seeing the opportunity to remind them the power of the people that they are attempting to silence, we had no choice but to take on this fight. In fact, we take great pleasure in serving them that reminder in court."
Bob Vylan, formed in Ipswich in 2017, has released five albums. The BBC has acknowledged it should have cut the broadcast of the "utterly unacceptable" and "antisemitic" sentiments expressed during the Glastonbury set. The live stream continued for the full 40-minute performance. Glastonbury organiser Emily Eavis had also commented that the chants "very much crossed a line," stating there is "no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence."
Following the event, the BBC stated that while they respect freedom of expression, they stand firmly against incitement to violence and that the "antisemitic sentiments expressed by Bob Vylan were utterly unacceptable and have no place on our airwaves." The corporation noted that while a warning was issued on screen during the live stream, with hindsight, they should have pulled the stream during the performance and regretted that this did not happen. The BBC indicated it would review its guidance for live events.
In a statement to the House of Commons, then-Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy condemned the scenes at Glastonbury as "appalling and unacceptable" and pressed for an explanation from the BBC's then-director general regarding the broadcast and delay in cutting the feed. Ms. Nandy also mentioned conversations with members of the Jewish community who expressed concerns about imagery and slogans displayed at the festival, leading to the establishment of their own safe space. The government stated it was investigating these reports and reaching out to festival organizers. Ms. Nandy emphasized the difference between speaking out for Palestine and antisemitism, asserting that incitement to violence, hate speech, or antisemitism would not be accepted as art. She concluded that the government would intervene when the rights and safety of communities are at risk and the national broadcaster fails to uphold its standards.
Following the controversy last year, Bobby Vylan responded on Instagram with "I said what I said" and described receiving a mix of support and hateful messages. In a personal reflection, Pascal Robinson-Foster wrote about his daughter's desire for change in school dinners, drawing a parallel to larger societal changes and the importance of encouraging future generations to speak up and advocate for their needs.