1 week ago
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Avon and Somerset Police in the UK have confirmed they have launched a criminal investigation into both Kneecap and Bob Vylan following their respective performances at Glastonbury over the weekend.
“A senior detective has been appointed to lead this investigation,” a spokesperson announced on Monday. “This has been recorded as a public order incident at this time while our enquiries are at an early stage.”
The investigation will be “evidence-led and will closely consider all appropriate legislation, including relating to hate crimes,” the spokesperson added. “We have received a large amount of contact in relation to these events from people across the world and recognise the strength of public feeling. There is absolutely no place in society for hate.”
During their set, Kneecap led the crowd in chants of “Fuck [UK Prime Minister] Keir Starmer” and “Free, free Palestine.” They also told the crowd to “start a riot outside the courts” during band member Mo Chara’s upcoming hearings in the UK, where he faces a terror offense tied to allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag at a London concert in 2024. They later clarified: “No riots — just love and support, and support for Palestine.”
Meanwhile, duri Bob Vylan led chants of “Free Palestine” and “Death to the IDF.” At another point in their set, the duo displayed a message on the screen behind them that read: “Free Palestine. The United Nations have called it a genocide. The BBC calls it a ‘conflict.’” Ironically, while the BBC chose not to broadcast Kneecap’s set in hopes of avoiding controversy, they aired Bob Vylan’s instead.
The members of Bob Vylan have already had their US visas revoked and been dropped by their talent agency. However, the group is standing by the message they delivered at Glastonbury, with Bobby Vylan writing in an Instagram post on Sunday night, “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 captioned the post, “I said what I said.”
English (US) · 