A punk duo is underneath investigation within the U.Ok. and banned from performing within the U.S., after its singer led anti-Israeli army chants throughout a BBC reside broadcast of the Glastonbury arts competition.
AILSA CHANG, HOST:
Glastonbury Music Competition, one of many largest on the earth, has change into the main target this 12 months of a political debate within the U.Ok. As NPR’s Fatima Al-Kassab experiences from London, the act on the middle of the controversy is underneath legal investigation.
FATIMA AL-KASSAB, BYLINE: Yearly, the BBC broadcasts Glastonbury Competition reside to viewers watching at residence.
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BOBBY VYLAN: Thanks very a lot, Glastonbury.
AL-KASSAB: British punk rap duo Bob Vylan took to the stage on Saturday afternoon. The lead singer, whose stage identify is Bobby Vylan, began like this…
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VYLAN: (Chanting) Free, free.
UNIDENTIFIED CROWD: (Chanting) Palestine.
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VYLAN: (Chanting) Free, free.
UNIDENTIFIED CROWD: (Chanting) Palestine.
VYLAN: (Chanting) Free, free.
AL-KASSAB: …And went on to guide chants of – demise, demise to the IDF – referring to the Israeli military, all streamed reside by the BBC. Inside seconds, the broadcaster added an on-screen warning about very sturdy and discriminatory language. However high politicians shortly criticized the choice to air the efficiency, together with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who stated that it contained appalling hate speech and that the BBC had inquiries to reply. Now the community says it ought to have performed extra and that it regrets not pulling away from the livestream. In an announcement, the BBC stated what it known as the antisemitic sentiments expressed by Bob Vylan had been totally unacceptable. The broadcaster did, in truth, resolve to not air reside one other band known as Kneecap. It has been important of Israel up to now, and the BBC this 12 months solely made out there edited clips of Kneecap’s efficiency. Authorities Minister Wes Streeting was requested in regards to the Bob Vylan efficiency on Sunday morning.
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WES STREETING: Effectively, I believed it was appalling, to be trustworthy, and I believe the BBC and Glastonbury have gotten inquiries to reply about how we noticed such a spectacle on our screens.
AL-KASSAB: There might be no spectacles or exhibits for Bob Vylan within the U.S. due to the incident. They had been attributable to carry out this 12 months. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau wrote on X that the band would have their visas revoked. British police stated in an announcement {that a} legal investigation has now been launched over the Bob Vylan and Kneecap performances, together with for potential hate crimes. Bobby Vylan shared an announcement on Instagram after his efficiency, the place he stated, educating our kids to talk up for the change they need and wish is the one means that we make this world a greater place, together with the caption, I stated what I stated. Fatima Al-Kassab, NPR Information, London.
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