Chants at Glastonbury Festival strike a deep chord among British Jews, provoking feelings of personal involvement
In the heart of the British summer, Glastonbury Festival, known for its vibrant music and culture, became a focal point of controversy when punk-rap duo Bob Vylan led the crowds in a chant that echoed through the festival grounds. The chant, "Death, death to the IDF," was a call for violence against members of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), sparking a wave of reactions that reverberated far beyond the festival's borders.
The author, a middle-aged mum who had never heard of Bob Vylan before the Glastonbury controversy, found herself deeply disturbed by the incident. For her, the chant was not just a political statement but a personal reminder of the danger that the IDF represents for those who serve and their families. In 2018, a good friend of the author's almost lost her husband and the father of their two young children when he was stabbed by a terrorist while serving as a reservist soldier in the West Bank.
The Jewish world, with a global population of 15.7 million, 7.2 million of whom live in Israel, watched the unfolding events with a mix of shock and concern. The response of the Glastonbury audience to the chant was particularly disturbing, as many parents were reportedly happy to chant for the death of teenage IDF soldiers. This conflation of the chant with antisemitism has contributed to feelings of vulnerability and hostility within the British Jewish community.
The chant, directed at the IDF, which is responsible for defending Israel from those who wish for its destruction, can be interpreted as a desire for Israel to cease to exist. Without the IDF, Israel would not exist, as it protects the nation from those who want to annihilate it.
The incident at Glastonbury was a flashpoint in the ongoing conflict discourse, leading to official sanctions like visa revocations, concert cancellations, broadcaster censorship, and significant distress within British Jewish communities due to perceived incitement to violence and antisemitism.
The BBC, which broadcasted the festival live, aired Bob Vylan’s performance without censoring their statements but did not broadcast similar pro-Palestinian performances by other artists, indicating editorial sensitivity. A BBC spokesperson called their comments "deeply offensive" and removed the performance from online streaming platforms.
The response was swift and severe. The Trump administration in the United States revoked Bob Vylan's US visas, preventing them from touring in the US as punishment for their violent rhetoric. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau publicly condemned the call for violence, stating that foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are unwelcome in the US.
In the UK, the controversy extended to the cancellation of Bob Vylan's gigs, such as a scheduled performance in Manchester, evidencing backlash within the music and public event circuits.
The incident has intensified public debates on antisemitism, freedom of speech, and the boundaries of political protest in cultural spaces in Britain. It also brought attention to the global tensions and divisions around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the challenge of addressing these issues without inciting hatred or violence.
In summary, the chant at Glastonbury 2025 was a flashpoint in the ongoing conflict discourse, leading to official sanctions like visa revocations, concert cancellations, broadcaster censorship, and significant distress within British Jewish communities due to perceived incitement to violence and antisemitism. The incident underscores the complexities and sensitivities surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the role of cultural platforms in shaping public discourse.
- The incident at Glastonbury, which involved a call for violence against the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) during Bob Vylan's performance, sparked debates on identity politics, particularly the boundaries of political protest in cultural spaces, as it led to official sanctions, cancel culture, and distress within British Jewish communities.
- The conflation of Idf, responsible for defending Israel, with antisemitism was particularly disturbing, as many parents at the festival were reportedly happy to chant for the death of teenage IDF soldiers, contributing to feelings of vulnerability and hostility within the British Jewish community.
- The role of entertainment, specifically music, in politics was highlighted during the Glastonbury incident, as the call for violence against the IDF can be interpreted as a desire for Israel's annihilation, and the BBC's decision to censor similar pro-Palestinian performances by other artists indicated editorial sensitivity towards these sensitive issues.
