Bob Vylan have responded to the news that police will take no further action into the chants during their Glastonbury 2025 set.
Yesterday (December 23), Avon and Somerset Police confirmed that the chants – which included “death, death to the IDF” – did not “meet the criminal threshold” and therefore they would not be continuing their investigation.
In a lengthy post on Instagram today (December 24), frontman Bobby Vylan said the investigation was “never warranted” as the Glastonbury set was “evidently not hateful” but rather “a display of solidarity with the Palestinian people”.
“The arrival of the news that no further action will be taken against any member of Bob Vylan regarding our Glastonbury performance in June 2025, should be something we as a band find celebration in. But the fact is, the criminal investigation of the chant was never warranted in the first place,” he wrote.
“Over the past 6 months, the media and politicians have consistently attacked us for using our art and platform to take a stand against the actions of Israel and its illegal occupying military force.”
“For the past 6 months, Avon and Somerset police have investigated a small segment of a performance that was evidently not hateful, but was a display of solidarity with the Palestinian people.”
He continued: “Scare tactics have been used by every arm that the British government has at its disposal. Through the media, politicians and the police, they have sought to ensure that our actions at Glastonbury do not spark a trend in escalating support for Palestine.”
Vylan went on to accuse the British government of “doing everything it can to stifle the voices” that oppose the “murder” of Palestinians, adding: “Musicians, comedians, doctors, students and pensioners have all become targets. If we believed that the British media, politicians and police had any sense of self-awareness and capacity for shame, we would ask them to reflect on what they have allowed to continue by trying to suppress the voices of those speaking out. But we are far too aware that they have none.”
“So instead, we hope that this news inspires others in the UK and around the world to speak up, and continue speaking up, in support of the Palestinian people, without fear. We have had our shows cancelled, visas revoked, our names tarnished and our lives upended, but what we have lost in peace and security, we have gained tenfold in spirit and camaraderie. And that is unbreakable.”
He concluded: “Thank you to everybody that has supported us in any way throughout the attempts to silence us, it has been beautiful to feel such community gather around. Free Palestine. Free the Filton 24. Free Sudan. Free Congo. And may all oppressed people the world over, resist the boot of tyranny on the neck of freedom.”
In their statement, police said they conducted “a voluntary police interview under caution” with a man in his mid-30s in November, and they say they also spoke to approximately 200 members of the public to see if they had been the victim of a criminal offence.
“We sought specific consideration around the words stated, in terms of the intent behind them, the wider context of how people heard what was said, case law and anything else potentially relevant, including freedom of speech,” the statement continued.
In response to the decision, the Community Security Trust, a charity that provides protection to Jewish communities in the UK, said: “It is incredibly disappointing that the police and CPS have decided not to charge in this case, particularly when police forces in London and Manchester are adopting a stronger approach to tackling hateful rhetoric.
“It sends completely the wrong message at the worst possible time.”
The Metropolitan police said last month they would close their own investigation into Bob Vylan’s gig in May at Alexandra Palace in north London, after advice from the CPS.
After their Glastonbury set, Bob Vylan had multiple international shows cancelled, and their US visas were revoked ahead of a tour in the country. Two UK gigs, in Manchester and Leeds, have also been postponed until next year, “due to political pressure” from MPs and Jewish leaders.
In a previous statement, Bob Vylan said they were not calling for “the death of Jews or Arabs or any other race or group” at Glasto. Bobby Vylan further explained in October that he was “not regretful” of his remarks at Glastonbury, adding: “I’d do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays. I’m not regretful of it at all.”
Earlier this month, Bob Vylan sued RTE over its claims of “Anti-Semitic chants” during the Glastonbury set. They have also received an apology and were awarded substantial damages from Manchester Evening News, after the outlet published defamatory claims about a “Nazi salute” occurring at one of their gigs.
The duo recently released their first new single since the controversy, ‘Sick Sad World’, where they called out Prime Minister Keir Starmer and “the BBC’s lies“.
