Bob Vylan asked fans to stop chanting “death to the IDF” at a recent gig in London, which was the duo’s first performance since frontman Bobby Vylan sparked controversy by repeating that exact phrase on stage at Glastonbury in June.
While playing the surprise show at the 100 Club on Wednesday night (July 9), the musician — whose real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster — was quick to redirect concertgoers when they started to repeat his anti-IDF cheer, as captured in videos from the night. “No, no, no,” he told the crowd. “You’re going to get me in trouble.”
“Apparently, every other chant is fine, but you will get me in trouble,” added Robinson-Foster before encouraging the audience to chant instead, “Free, free Palestine.”
The performance comes less than two weeks after Bob Vylan — which is also comprised of drummer Bobbie Vylan — faced backlash for leading the crowd at Glastonbury in chanting “death, death to the IDF,” referring to the Israeli Defense Forces. The duo took the festival’s stage just before Kneecap, another band that has been outspoken in its support of Palestinians amid Israel’s war on Hamas.
Shortly afterward, Glastonbury broadcaster BBC issued an apology for airing the punk-rap musician’s remarks, which the company called “antisemitic.” Both Bob Vylan and Kneecap’s sets at the festival are under criminal investigation by Avon and Somerset Police.
The Bob Vylan bandmates were also dropped by their booking agent as well as removed from the Kave Fest and Radar Festival lineups in light of Robinson-Foster’s comments. In a video shared on the English group’s Instagram Story, however, they made it clear that they are holding firm in their beliefs — even if “death to the IDF” chants are specifically off the table for now.
“As hard as this week may have been for us, it has been nothing in comparison to what the Palestinian people are going through right now,” Robinson-Foster said on stage at the 100 Club gig while holding up the Palestinian flag with his bandmate. “And that is where the attention should be.”
Violence has been ongoing in Gaza ever since Hamas killed 1,200 Israelis and took 251 more as hostages in an attack on Oct. 7, 2023. In the nearly two years since, more than 55,000 Palestinians have died in Israel’s subsequent military offensive against Hamas, while countless more Palestinian refugees have faced widespread hunger and homelessness.
Though arguably the most incendiary, Bob Vylan and Kneecap are just two of several musical acts who have voiced support for Palestinians amid the conflict. Lana Del Rey said a few days ago that she prays “for Palestine every day,” while Billie Eilish recently decried Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz’s plan to forcibly move Palestinians to a different part of Gaza.
