The BBC’s director general is facing questions over why he did not pull the live-stream footage of Bob Vylan after being informed during a visit to Glastonbury of the chants calling for the death of Israeli soldiers.
Tim Davie, who has led the BBC for nearly five years, was told of the chanting of “death, death to the IDF [Israel Defense Forces]” by Bob Vylan’s vocalist after it had been broadcast live on the BBC on Saturday afternoon.
He was at the festival in Somerset on a visit to meet presenters and production staff when he was told that the chanting had been aired.
“At that point he was clear it should not feature in any other Glastonbury coverage,” a BBC spokesperson said. The decision was taken that the footage of Bob Vylan would not be made available on the broadcaster’s on-demand service.
But the live stream of the West Holts stage where Bob Vylan performed continued to be aired for a number of hours after the incident, allowing anyone watching the broadcast live to rewind it.
The band put out a statement on Tuesday saying they were “not for the death of Jews, Arabs or any other race or group”. In an Instagram post they said: “Today a good many people would have you believe a punk band is the number one threat to world peace. Last week it was a Palestine pressure group, the week before that it was another band.
“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. A machine whose own soldiers were told to use unnecessary lethal force against innocent civilians waiting for aid. A machine that has destroyed much of Gaza.
“We, like those in the spotlight before us, are not the story. We are a distraction from the story and whatever sanctions we receive will be a distraction.”
The Irish rap trio Kneecap, including the member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who appeared in court earlier this month charged with a terror offence, took to the stage directly after Bob Vylan and led chants of “Free Palestine”. Their performance was not livestreamed.
The BBC did not offer any explanation for the decision made after consultation with Davie.
The broadcaster has already issued an apology on behalf of its staff running the live operations for failing to pull away from the performance of Bob Vylan during the chanting, describing the scenes as “utterly unacceptable”.
A BBC spokesperson said: “The director general was informed of the incident after the performance and at that point he was clear it should not feature in any other Glastonbury coverage.”
Sir Ephraim Mirvis, the chief rabbi, said the incident was a “national shame”.
He wrote on X: “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.”
Avon and Somerset police said on Monday they had launched an investigation into both performances after reviewing video footage and audio recordings. A senior detective has been appointed to lead the investigation.
A police spokesperson said: “This has been recorded as a public order incident at this time while our inquiries are at an early stage.
“The investigation will be evidence-led and will closely consider all appropriate legislation, including relating to hate crimes.”
Jonathan Reynolds, the business secretary, said he had been shocked by the behaviour of some at the festival.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today: “There are some lessons, I think, for broadcasters from this, but let’s also not shy away from the issue, which is people in a crowd glorifying violence.
“I don’t think it’s something we’d associate with any music festival, but it’s a wider societal problem.
“It’s possible, I think, to be completely concerned by the scenes in Gaza and not stray into the kind of behaviour and endorsement that we saw with that performance.
“And I’m deeply shocked to be honest, that people would even not realise what I think they’re participating in when they do that.”
Writing on Instagram, Pascal Robinson-Foster, who performs under the name Bob Vylan, wrote: “Teaching our children to speak up for the change they want and need is the only way that we make this world a better place …
“Let us display to them loudly and visibly the right thing to when we want and need change. Let them see us marching in the streets, campaigning on ground level, organising online and shouting about it on any and every stage that we are offered.”
The band is due to perform on 5 and 6 July at Victoria Warehouse in Manchester. The Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester & Region has urged the venue to call off the show.
A Greater Manchester police spokesperson said: “We are aware that Bob Vylan will be performing in Manchester at the weekend.
“Greater Manchester is famous for promoting music of all genres and we welcome all artists to our region. However, we will act immediately on any reports of commentary or actions that could be breaking the law.”