No further action to be taken over Bob Vylan Glastonbury chants, police say
An investigation by Avon and Somerset Police into chants made by punk duo Bob Vylan at Glastonbury has concluded no further action will be taken.
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In a statement, the force said: “We have concluded, after reviewing all the evidence, that it does not meet the criminal threshold outlined by the CPS for any person to be prosecuted.
“No further action will be taken on the basis there is insufficient evidence for there to be a realistic prospect of conviction.”
Frontman, Bobby Vylan, whose real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, led chants of “death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)” during their BBC livestreamed performance at the Worthy Farm festival in June.
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The force said it conducted a voluntary interview with a man in his mid-thirties in November over the incident, adding he was informed of the outcome earlier on Tuesday.
The force added: “The comments made on Saturday 28 June drew widespread anger, proving that words have real-world consequences.
"We believe it is right this matter was comprehensively investigated, every potential criminal offence was thoroughly considered, and we sought all the advice we could to ensure we made an informed decision.”
On Christmas Eve, in a statement posted to X, Bob Vylan said: “The arrival of the news that no further action will be taken against any member of Bob Vylan regarding our Glastonbury performance in June 2025, should be something we as a band find celebration in.
“But the fact is, the criminal investigation of the chant was never warranted in the first place.
“Over the past 6 months, the media and politicians have consistently attacked us for using our art and platform to take a stand against the actions of Israel and its illegal occupying military force.
“For the past 6 months, Avon and Somerset Police have investigated a small segment of a performance that was evidently not hateful, but was a display of solidarity with the Palestinian people.”
The statement added: “We hope that this news inspires others in the UK and around the world to speak up, and continue speaking up, in support of the Palestinian people, without fear.
“We have had our shows cancelled, visas revoked, our names tarnished and our lives upended, but what we have lost in peace and security, we have gained tenfold in spirit and camaraderie.
“And that is unbreakable.
“Thank you to everybody that has supported us in any way throughout the attempts to silence us, it has been beautiful to feel such community gather around.”