Bob Vylan IDF controversy: Who are they and what did they say at Glastonbury?

English punk duo Bob Vylan has sparked controversy this weekend following their incendiary performance at Glastonbury.

The two Bobs – frontman Bobby Vylan and drummer Bobbie Vylan – have found themselves the subject of police investigation after chants of ‘free Palestine’ and ‘death to the IDF’ were made during their set on West Holts stage on Saturday.

As debate raged on over whether Irish rappers Kneecap should be allowed to perform at the event, Bob Vylan contributed their own explosive take, leaving festival organisers ‘appalled’ by what was said.

As per footage from the performance, Bobby Vylan led the audience in chants of ‘free, free Palestine,’ and other statements which have been construed as ‘threatening.’

A spokesperson for the BBC described the comments as ‘deeply offensive’ and promised that the performance would not be made available on demand, while vocalist Bobby has doubled down on his statements during the show.

But who are Bob Vylan?

Who are Bob Vylan?

Formed in Ipswich, London in 2017, Bob Vylan consists of singer and guitarist Bobby Vylan, and drummer Bobbie Vylan – known together as ‘The Bobs.’

Their musical style is described as a combination of grime rap and punk rock, best evidenced in their 2020 hit We Live Here.

This politically-charged song, released in the summer of Black Lives Matter, recalled the 1993 murder of 18-year-old Stephen Lawrence in its polemic on race relations in the UK.

The duo have released five albums to date – starting with their self-produced and distributed Vylan, in 2017.

In 2019, they released their first studio album, Dread, which they followed with We Live Here (2020), Bob Vylan Presents the Price of Life (2022) and Humble as the Sun (2024).

Are Bob Vylan brothers?

Bob Vylan are not related by blood. The pair adopted the Bobs moniker in a bid to protect their anonymity.

Their real names are currently unknown.

Five years after their debut, Bob Vylan scored Best Album at the 2022 Kerrang! Awards and played at Chicago Riot Fest that same year.

‘The band has gotten itself to a point where you can’t really ignore you,’ the band said in an interview with DIY Magazine.

What did Bob Vylan say at Glastonbury?

As they launched into their Glastonbury set, vocalist Bobby led the attendees in chants of ‘Free, free Palestine,’ and ‘death to the IDF (Israeli Defence Force).’

He also declared: ‘from the river to the sea Palestine… will be free,’ sparking criticism from the Israeli Embassy.

‘The embassy in the United Kingdom is deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival,’ the organisation responded in a statement.

UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting described the incident as ‘appalling,’ but suggested that the Embassy should ‘get your own house in order’ before criticising Glastonbury.

‘I think there’s a serious point there by the Israeli embassy that I take seriously. I wish they’d take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously,’ he said in an interview with Sky News.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has also condemned the BBC’s decision to broadcast the set live.

A spokesman for the politician said: ‘We strongly condemn the threatening comments made by Bob Vylan at Glastonbury.’

A statement from Glastonbury reads: ‘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.’

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Avon and Somerset police weighed in, releasing a post on social media which said: ‘We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon.’

‘Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation.’

As for the band, they’ve been keeping cool since yesterday’s performance, as an unfazed Bobby posted an update to his social media.

Sharing a selfie via his Instagram Stories, the frontman joked: ‘while zionists are crying on socials, I’ve just had a (vegan) ice cream.’

Bobby then released a further statement, encouraging activism in the younger generation and using his own daughter as an example.

‘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 her for feedback on the current state of her school dinners,’ he began.

‘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.

‘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.’

‘I said what I said,’ he captioned his post.

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