Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said that chants of “death to the IDF” at Glastonbury Festival were ‘appalling’ and that the BBC and festival have ‘questions to answer’
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said that chants of “death to the IDF” at Glastonbury were “appalling” and that the BBC and the festival have “questions to answer”.
The Cabinet minister said it was “pretty revolting” people were responding to the Israel-Gaza conflict by cheering on “one side or the other like it’s a football team”. But he also warned Israel to “get your own house in order” over its relentless attack on Gaza, after it criticised the chants heard at Glastonbury.
Police are examining videos of comments made by multiple acts over the weekend at Glastonbury festival. Rapper Bobby Vylan, of rap punk duo Bob Vylan, on Saturday led crowds on the festival’s West Holts Stage in chants of: “Free, free Palestine” and: “Death, death to the IDF”.
READ MORE: Glastonbury: Performances by Bob Vylan and Kneecap branded ‘hateful’ and ‘grotesque’
On the same day, a member of Irish rap trio Kneecap suggested fans “start a riot” outside his bandmate’s upcoming court appearance. Member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh has been charged with a terror offence after allegedly showing a flag at a gig in November in support of Hezbollah.
Asked about the comments on Sunday morning, Mr Streeting said: “I thought it’s appalling, to be honest, and I think the BBC and Glastonbury have got questions to answer about how we saw such a spectacle on our screens. But I also think it’s a pretty shameless publicity stunt, which I don’t really want to give too much indulgence to for that reason.”
He told Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: “The fact that we saw that chant at a music festival, when there were Israelis at a similar music festival who were kidnapped, murdered, raped, and in some cases still held captive, whether it’s a Palestinian or an Israeli, whether it’s a Christian, a Jew or a Muslim, all life is precious.
“All life is sacred. And I find it pretty revolting we’ve got to a state in this conflict where you’re supposed to sort of cheer on one side or the other like it’s a football team.”
Asked if the BBC should have cut the live feed, he said the broadcaster has questions to answer, but that he did not know what the editorial and operational “challenges” are of taking such action.
Mr Streeting also used the interview to hit out at Israeli action against Palestinians. He said he continues to condemn Hamas’s attack on Israelis on October 7, 2023, when about 1,200 people, including more than 360 young people were killed at the Nova music festival.
But the Health Secretary also said Israel’s war against Gaza is “completely unjustifiable”. He said what people should be talking about in the context of Israel and Gaza is the humanitarian catastrophe and the fact that Israeli settlers attacked a Christian village this week.
Asked about Israel’s criticism of the Glastonbury chats, he added: “I’d also say to the Israeli embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank. I think there’s a serious point there by the Israeli embassy I take seriously. I wish they’d take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more more seriously.”
Former BBC executive and presenter Roger Bolton this morning told Times Radio that the BBC “should have cut away” from the Glastonbury performance by Vylan and “cancelled the broadcast”.
In a post on social media on Saturday, Avon and Somerset Police 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.”
Reacting on social media, the Israeli Embassy said it was “deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival”. A statement on X said: “Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democracy. But when speech crosses into incitement, hatred, and advocacy of ethnic cleansing, it must be called out-especially when amplified by public figures on prominent platforms.”
A BBC spokesperson said: “Some of the comments made during Bob Vylan’s set were deeply offensive. During this live stream on iPlayer, which reflected what was happening on stage, a warning was issued on screen about the very strong and discriminatory language. We have no plans to make the performance available on demand.”
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