The UK's Chief Rabbi has strongly criticised "the airing of vile Jew-hate at Glastonbury" after a live broadcast of Bob Vylan's performance at the festival went out on the BBC, during which the band's singer led the crowd in chants of "death, death to the IDF [Israel Defense Forces]". Writing on X, Sir Ephraim Mirvis wrote:"This is a time of national shame. The airing of vile Jew-hatred at Glastonbury and the BBC's belated and mishandled response, brings confidence in our national broadcaster's ability to treat antisemitism seriously to a new low. "It should trouble all decent people that now, one need only couch their outright incitement to violence and hatred as edgy political commentary, for ordinary people to not only fail to see it for what it is, but also to cheer it, chant it and celebrate it. Toxic Jew-hatred is a threat to our entire society. In a statement issued on Monday, the BBC said: "The team were dealing with a live situation but with hindsight we should have pulled the stream during the performance. We regret this did not happen." A criminal investigation has now been launchedover performances by both Bob Vylan and Irish band Kneecap at Glastonbury on Saturday, Avon and Somerset Police has said. The force said it had appointed a senior detective to investigate whether comments made by either act amounted to a criminal offence after reviewing footage. A statement added: "This has been recorded as a public order incident at this time while our enquiries are at an early stage." Speaking in Parliament on Monday after the announcement, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy called the scenes broadcast "appalling and unacceptable".
Chief Rabbi calls 'vile Jew-hatred at Glastonbury' a 'national shame'
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"Chief Rabbi Criticizes Antisemitic Chants at Glastonbury Festival"
Bbc News
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TruthLens AI Summary
The Chief Rabbi of the UK, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, has expressed strong condemnation regarding the display of antisemitism during the recent Glastonbury Festival. This criticism arose after a live broadcast of the band Bob Vylan's performance on the BBC, where the lead singer incited the audience to chant 'death, death to the IDF' in reference to the Israel Defense Forces. In a statement posted on X, Rabbi Mirvis labeled the incident as a 'national shame' and criticized the BBC for its handling of the situation. He emphasized that the normalization of such hate speech, disguised as edgy political commentary, poses a grave threat to societal cohesion. Mirvis's remarks highlighted the troubling acceptance of extreme anti-Jewish sentiment in public forums, urging individuals to recognize and reject such incitement to violence and hatred.
In response to the incident, the BBC acknowledged their failure to intervene during the live performance, stating that they should have pulled the stream in hindsight. Following the broadcast, Avon and Somerset Police initiated a criminal investigation into the performances of both Bob Vylan and another band, Kneecap, to determine if their remarks constituted a criminal offense. The police have categorized the incident as a public order matter while they continue their inquiries. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy addressed the situation in Parliament, describing the broadcasted scenes as 'appalling and unacceptable.' This incident has sparked a broader conversation about the responsibility of public broadcasters and artists in addressing antisemitism and ensuring that such rhetoric is not tolerated in any form within society.
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