Bob Vylan has responded to the uproar over its “death to the IDF” comments at the Glastonbury festival with a statement that doubles down on the artist’s pro-Palestinian position, albeit with less inflamed language and more explanatory context than was found in their concert chant.
“We are not for the death of Jews, Arabs or any other race or group of people,” the punk duo’s statement on social media said. “We are for the dismantling of a violent military machine,” they said, now choosing “dismantling” rather than “death” in referring to the Israel Defense Forces. “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.”
The statement further said, “We, like those in the spotlight before us, are not the story. We are a distraction from from the story. And whatever sanctions we receive will be a distraction.”The “sanctions” could refer to any or all of the actions being taken so far against the group in the U.K. or the U.S. in response to the group’s statements and actions during the performance, which was webcast by the BBC.
The U.S. state department has put a halt to the group’s plan to tour in North America this fall. “Bob Vylan’s U.S. visas were also revoked on Monday. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau posted on X: “The @StateDept has revoked the U.S. visas for the members of the Bob Vylan band in light of their hateful tirade at Glastonbury, including leading the crowd in death chants. Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country.”
And in the U.K., a police investigation has also been officially launched into both Bob Vylan and Kneecap’s comments. (Kneecap’s performance was not broadcast by the BBC, unlike Bob Vylan’s, given that group’s already known proclivity for vocal Palestinian support.)
Besides “death to the IMF,” Bob Vylan’s performance included the artist leading the crowd in chanting “free, free Palestine” and “from the river to the sea, Palestine must be free” — the latter being a slogan that pro-Israel commentators have said is a call for the eradication of Israel, while many Palestinian advocates maintain that interpretation is an overreach.
Bob Vylan’s full social media statement:
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“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 GRO UP 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 GOVERNMENT DOESN’T WANT US TO ASK WHY THEY REMAIN SILENT IN THE FACE OF THIS ATROCITY? TO ASK WHY THEY AREN’T DOING MORE TO STOP THE KILLING? TO FEED THE STARVING?
“THE MORE TIME THEY TALK ABOUT BOB VYLAN, THE LESS TIME THEY SPEND ANSWERING FOR THEIR CRIMINAL INACTION. WE ARE BEING TARGETED FOR SPEAKING UP. WE ARE NOT THE FIRST. WE WILL NOT BE THE LAST. AND IF YOU CARE FOR THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH, WE URGE YOU TO SPEAK UP, TOO.
“FREE PALESTINE.”
From Variety US