US revokes visa for British punk-rap duo who led anti-IDF chants at Glastonbury

MANCHESTER, England (CN) — The U.S. government has revoked the visas of Bob Vylan, the punk-rap duo who led chants of “death to the IDF” during their Glastonbury set.

The U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau announced the move “in light of their hateful tirade at Glastonbury,” adding: “Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country.”

The band, whose music focuses on racism, economic injustice and social inequalities, have also been dropped by United Talent Agency.

The U.K. government condemned the band, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer calling the chants “appalling hate speech.”

The Conservative Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said the band was “inciting violence and hatred,” urging the band to be prosecuted.

Glastonbury organizers said they were “appalled” by the chants, which “very much crossed a line." In a public statement, they said the music event stood “against all forms of war and terrorism,” and that there was no place for “antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence.”

Bob Vylan responded on social media, saying that they had been “inundated with messages of both support and hatred,” as they called for “a change in foreign policy.”

Their statement spoke about the need to speak up about social change.

“It is incredibly important that we encourage and inspire future generations to pick up the torch that was passed to us,” the statement said. “Let us display to them loudly and visibly the right thing to do when we want and need change.”

It ended: “Let them see us marching in the streets, campaigning on ground level, organizing online and shouting about it on any and every stage that we are offered.”

U.K. police have launched a criminal investigation into the Glastonbury performances of Bob Vylan as well as the band that followed, Kneecap, with the Avon and Somerset Police appointing a senior detective to investigate whether their acts amounted to a criminal offense.

Kneecap, an Irish rap group whose songs range from Irish republicanism to drug culture, have been vocal supporters of Palestine.

Before the festival, there were calls to remove Kneecap from the lineup, with member Mo Chara facing terrorism-related charges.

During a gig in 2023, video shows one member saying, “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.” In another gig from 2024, they were heard shouting, “Up Hamas, up Hezbollah,” with Mo Chara draped in a Hezbollah flag. Both groups are banned in the U.K., and expressing support for them is illegal.

In April, during a set at Coachella, the band displayed a message that read, “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people,” which led to members receiving death threats.

The Met Police recently dropped the charges against Mo Chara, canceling a court hearing that was scheduled for August, stating that the statutory time limit for the purported offenses had expired.

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