Bob Vylan have issued a lengthy statement a day on from their controversial Glastonbury performance which has drawn widespread condemnation.
The BBC is facing intense criticism after broadcasting the punk duo's Glastonbury performance on Saturday, during which singer Bobby Vylan led crowds in chanting "death, death to the IDF" at the West Holts Stage.
Avon and Somerset Police confirmed they are assessing video evidence "to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation".
The controversial performance, which was live-streamed on iPlayer, also featured chants of "from the river to the sea" - a phrase considered by some to be calling for the annihilation of the Jewish state.
Bobby Vylan led chants of "Death to the IDF" at GlastonburyGETTYOn Sunday evening, the duo's Instagram page published the following statement: "As I lay in bed this morning, my phone buzzing non-stop, inundated with messages of both support and hatred, I listen to my daughter typing out loud as she fills out a school survey asking for her feedback on the current state of her school dinners.
"She expressed that she would like healthier meals, more options and dishes inspired by other parts of the world.
"Listening to her voice her opinions on a matter that she cares about and affects her daily, reminds me that we may not be doomed after all.
"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.
In the hours following the backlash, Bobby Vylan first responded on Instagram with a photo of himself eating pink vegan ice cream
INSTAGRAM"As we grow older and our fire possibly starts to dim under the suffocation of adult life and all its responsibilities, it is incredibly important that we encourage and inspire future generations to pick up the torch that was passed to us.
"Let us display to them loudly and visibly the right thing to do 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.
"Today it is a change in school dinners, tomorrow it is a change in foreign policy."
The band accompanied the statement with the caption: "I said what I said."
The statement comes a few hours after Glastonbury Festival organisers said they were "appalled" by the band's conduct.
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Bob Vylan shared the statement on Instagram
They stated: "Their chants very much crossed a line and we are urgently reminding everyone involved in the production of the Festival that there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence."
In a statement released on Sunday, festival organiser Emily Eavis wrote on Instagram that the team stands "against all forms of war and terrorism" and will "always believe in - and actively campaign for - hope, unity, peace and love".
The festival acknowledged that with "almost 4,000 performances at Glastonbury 2025, there will inevitably be artists and speakers appearing on our stages whose views we do not share", but emphasised that a performer's presence "should never be seen as a tacit endorsement of their opinions and beliefs".
The BBC removed Bob Vylan's performance from iPlayer and issued a statement calling the comments "deeply offensive", confirming they have "no plans to make the performance available on demand".
The police confirmed they were 'assessing' Bob Vylan's performance
PA
An estimated 400 BBC staff and freelancers were on site to cover the festival.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch condemned the band's actions as "grotesque", writing on X: "Glorifying violence against Jews isn't edgy."
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy took an urgent call with BBC Director-General Tim Davie on Saturday demanding to know why the BBC streamed the Bob Vylan set live.
Her spokesperson said: "We strongly condemn the threatening comments made by Bob Vylan at Glastonbury."
Former BBC Director of Television Danny Cohen said the broadcast breached editorial rules, noting: "There are serious concerns that the BBC may have committed a criminal offence in broadcasting this hateful, racist material."
The Campaign Against Antisemitism called on Davie to resign for allowing the "dissemination of this extremist vitriol", saying he has had "more than enough chances to stop this abuse of licence fee payers' money to platform bigots and extremists from Gaza to Glastonbury".
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