British authorities have decided not to pursue criminal charges against punk-rap duo Bob Vylan over chants directed at the Israeli military during their performance at Glastonbury Festival 2025.

Avon and Somerset Police said on Tuesday that there was “insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction,” concluding that the performance did not meet the criminal threshold.

Context of the Performance

During the June 28 performance, lead singer Pascal Robinson-Foster—known as Bobby Vylan—led chants of “death, death” aimed at the Israeli military amid its ongoing war in Gaza. The broadcast of the chant, livestreamed by the BBC, drew widespread criticism, prompting the broadcaster to apologize for “offensive and deplorable behaviour” and acknowledge a breach of editorial guidelines.

Police said their investigation included interviews with a man in his 30s and consultations with about 200 members of the public. The authorities considered the intent of the words, context, case law, and freedom of expression issues before reaching their decision.

“We believe it is right this matter was comprehensively investigated,” the statement read. “Every potential criminal offence was thoroughly considered.”

Reactions

• Israel’s embassy expressed disappointment, saying in a social media post that “vile calls for violence… continue to fall on deaf ears,” and warned that inaction “emboldens those who seek to harm Jews.”
• Bob Vylan responded via X, stating the investigation was never warranted and accusing the British government of using “scare tactics” to silence pro-Palestinian voices. They emphasized that their stance is against the violence of the Israeli military, not any group of people.

After the festival, the duo clarified on Instagram: “We are not for the death of Jews, Arabs, or any other race or group of people. We are for the dismantling of a violent military machine.”

Following the controversy, the US revoked Bob Vylan’s visas, forcing the cancellation of a planned US tour. The band has also launched defamation proceedings against Irish broadcaster RTE, alleging false claims of anti-Semitic chants.

This decision follows a similar case in July, when UK authorities dropped an investigation into the Irish-language rap group Kneecap, who chanted “Free Palestine” during a performance.