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UK’s Starmer and Glastonbury condemn ‘death to the IDF’ chants
Bob Vylan led crowds in chants of ‘Death, death to the IDF’, a reference to the acronym for the Israeli military
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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Glastonbury organisers said on Sunday they were appalled by on-stage chanting against the Israeli military during a performance at the festival by Punk-rap duo Bob Vylan.
During their show on Saturday, the duo chanted “Death, death, to the IDF” in reference to the Israel Defence Forces, the formal name of the Israeli military.
Police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation, but did not name Bob Vylan or Irish rap band Kneecap, who appeared on the same stage and also criticised Israel.
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“Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation,” Avon and Somerset Police, in western England where the festival is held, said on social media late on Saturday.
“There is no excuse for this kind of appalling hate speech,” Starmer said in a statement. “I said that Kneecap should not be given a platform and that goes for any other performers making threats or inciting violence.”
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