Bob Vylan BANNED from U.S. after Glastonbury meltdown

U.S. bans UK punk rappers after Glastonbury crowd incited with ‘death to the IDF’ chant, prompting criminal probe and BBC backlash.

Avi Yemini
  |   June 30, 2025   |   News   |   Be the first to comment


The Trump administration has revoked the U.S. visas of British duo Bob Vylan after a controversial Glastonbury Festival performance where the group led a chant calling for “death to the IDF” — the Israeli Defence Force.

The chant was led by vocalist Bobby Vylan during the band’s set over the weekend, with footage of the incident quickly sparking condemnation from both political figures and international authorities.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer slammed the act as “appalling hate speech” and demanded the BBC explain how the comments were broadcast live. “The BBC must explain how those comments made it on to air,” he said.

On Monday, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau announced the decision to revoke the band’s U.S. visas. “Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country,” he wrote on X, adding that the band’s “hateful tirade at Glastonbury” was unacceptable.

Bob Vylan had previously performed at high-profile U.S. events including Coachella and were due to tour America later this year.

The controversy has triggered a criminal investigation by Avon and Somerset Police, who are also probing a separate Glastonbury performance by Irish rap act Kneecap. During Kneecap’s set, one member allegedly urged fans to “start a riot” in support of bandmate Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who faces a terror charge for allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag at a London concert.

Police confirmed they had reviewed video and audio of both performances and stated: “Following the completion of that assessment process we have decided further enquiries are required and a criminal investigation is now being undertaken.”

The force said the probe would be “evidence-led” and take into account legislation on hate crimes and public order offences, adding, “There is absolutely no place in society for hate.”

The BBC, which broadcasts the festival annually, came under fire for airing Bob Vylan’s performance unedited, despite choosing not to stream Kneecap’s set. The broadcaster later apologised, admitting the stream included “antisemitic sentiments” and saying: “With hindsight we should have pulled the stream during the performance… We regret this did not happen.”

UK media regulator Ofcom has since stated the BBC has “questions to answer”.

Bob Vylan has reportedly been dropped by United Talent Agency (UTA) following the backlash over their Glastonbury performance.

As reported in the media, the decision to sever ties with the English punk-rap duo was made by a UTA executive in response to the band’s controversial chanting during their set at the festival.

While UTA has not publicly confirmed the move, reports note that Bob Vylan's profile has been taken down from the agency’s official website.

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Avi Yemini

Chief Australian Correspondent

Avi Yemini is the Australia Bureau Chief for Rebel News. He's a former Israeli Defence Force marksman turned citizen journalist. Avi's most known for getting amongst the action and asking the tough questions in a way that brings a smile to your face.

https://followavi.com/

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