English punk-rap duo Bob Vylan are facing significant backlash to their “death to the IDF” chant from Glastonbury over the weekend, with the State Department confirming Monday that it has revoked the the group’s U.S. visas. Meanwhile, a source confirms to The Hollywood Reporter that United Talent Agency has dropped Bob Vylan following the controversy.
“The @StateDept has revoked the US visas for the members of the Bob Vylan band in light of their hateful tirade at Glastonbury, including leading the crowd in death chants,” Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau wrote on X on Monday morning. “Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country.”
As of Monday, Bob Vylan is no longer listed on UTA’s roster on its website. UTA didn’t respond to request for comment. A rep for Bob Vylan couldn’t be reached.
The blowback comes after Bob Vylan performed at Glastonbury, one of the most famous music festivals in the world, on Saturday, with their set broadcast on the BBC. Glastonbury condemned the chant this weekend, with festival organizer Emily Eavis writing on Instagram that she was “appalled.”
“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,” she said.
In a statement, the BBC said it “regrets” not pulling the livestream of the performance. “The BBC respects freedom of expression but stands firmly against incitement to violence,” the network said in a statement. “The antisemitic sentiments expressed by Bob Vylan were utterly unacceptable and have no place on our airwaves. We welcome Glastonbury’s condemnation of the performance.”
The group’s frontman Bobby Vylan (a stage name, drummer Bobbie Vylan is the other half of the group) defended the chant in an Instagram post Sunday writing, “I said what I said.”
“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,” he wrote. “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.”
Bob Vylan’s visas have been revoked months before the duo was slated to begin a 16-date North American tour this fall, starting in Spokane, Washington in October. It’s currently unclear what will happen with those shows, but assuming the visa issue still stands by then, they’ll most likely be canceled.
Bob Vylan’s comments are just the latest on the Israel-Gaza situation to stir controversy on the international festival circuit. Back in April, Irish rap group Kneecap — who performed at Glastonbury this weekend as well — had posted a “Fuck Israel, Free Palestine” message on the stage at Coachella, drawing criticism from Jewish music executives and groups. The group denied allegations of antisemitism, retorting that “what we care about is that governments of the countries we perform in are enabling some of the most horrific crimes of our lifetimes – and we will not stay silent.”
