The Glastonbury Festival is facing significant backlash after the British punk-rap duo Bob Vylan led crowds in "Death, death to the IDF" chants during their Saturday performance. These remarks, broadcast live on the BBC, have ignited a police inquiry and widespread criticism.

The UK government swiftly condemned the chants, with festival organizers also stating the display "very much crossed a line." They emphasized that there is "no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence," reminding all involved to uphold these standards.

The controversy extends to Irish rap trio Kneecap, whose anti-Israel stance and a member's pro-Palestine Action Group T-shirt are also being examined by police. The Palestine Action Group faces a potential ban under UK terror laws.

The Israeli embassy in London expressed deep dismay at the "inflammatory and hateful rhetoric." However, Labour's health secretary, Wes Streeting, while finding the chants "appalling," also urged the embassy to address violence by Israeli citizens against Palestinians.

The BBC has deemed Vylan's comments "deeply offensive" and has no plans to offer the performance on its on-demand service, highlighting the gravity of the incident for broadcasters.

This incident at Glastonbury underscores the intense sensitivities surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the scrutiny of political expressions at major public events.

Source: https://www.arabnews.com/node/2606282/world