The Metropolitan Police are investigating punk rap band Bob Vylan for another anti-Israel outburst made during a concert in May, weeks before their controversial Glastonbury Festival appearance.
Officers are examining video footage from the May 28 performance at Alexandra Palace where frontman Pascal Robinson-Foster allegedly shouted “Death to every single IDF soldier out there as an agent of terror for Israel. Death to the IDF”.
“Officers are investigating comments allegedly made during a concert at Alexandra Palace earlier this year,” a Metropolitan Police spokesperson told the Daily Mail.
“The decision to investigate follows the emergence of footage which appears to have been filmed at the venue on 28 May 2025.”
The Metropolitan Police are investigating punk rap band Bob Vylan for another anti-Israel outburst made during a concert at Alexandra Palace in May, weeks before their controversial Glastonbury Festival appearance
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The remarks were made shortly before the band performed their song Hunger Games.
The Alexandra Palace incident mirrors comments that sparked widespread condemnation at Glastonbury Festival, where the band chanted “death, death to the IDF” and made remarks about working for “f***ing Zionists” during their West Holts stage performance.
Following the Glastonbury controversy, the BBC was forced to apologise after Britain’s Chief Rabbi accused the broadcaster of “airing vile Jew-hatred” when Bob Vylan’s remarks were streamed live.
The BBC stated it “stands firmly against incitement to violence” and acknowledged that “with hindsight (…) should have pulled the stream during the performance”.
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Glastonbury organisers published a statement on Instagram saying they were “appalled” by Bob Vylan’s behaviour and that the chants had “crossed a line”.
The band has faced severe consequences since their Glastonbury performance.
Bob Vylan were dropped by their agent and management company, had their US visas revoked ahead of a planned American tour, and saw multiple performances cancelled including an appearance at Radar Festival in Manchester.
Avon and Somerset police have launched a criminal investigation into the band’s Glastonbury set.
In response to the backlash, Bob Vylan posted on Instagram: “We are not for the death of Jews, Arabs or any other race or group of people. We are for the dismantling of a violent military machine.”
The band added: “We like those in the spotlight before us are not the story. We are a distraction from the story. We are being targeted for speaking up. Free Palestine”.
Former Labour MP Lord Walney, previously Gordon Brown’s spokesman, criticised the BBC’s handling of the situation in light of the new footage.
“The fact that this was not the first time Bob Vylan made that hateful death chant makes the BBC’s Glasto disaster even more serious,” he said.
“Most of the public might not have heard of the group but it’s just not credible that none of the hundreds of BBC Staff at the festival were unaware.”
He warned: “If director-general Tim Davie doesn’t get a personal grip on the corporation’s antisemitism crisis he is going to have to go.”
A CST spokesperson said: “This clip underlines that when Bob Vylan talks about killing the IDF, they are not talking about ending an institution but are calling for the death of individual human beings.”