UK police studying Glastonbury performances after anti-Israel chants

Irish rap band Kneecap perform at the West Holts stage on the fourth day of the Glastonbury festival at Worthy Farm in England. (AFP)
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Updated 29 June 2025
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UK police studying Glastonbury performances after anti-Israel chants

  • Irish hip hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage
  • Prime Minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was “not appropriate” for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury

GLASTONBURY: British police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.

“We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon,” Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday.

Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted “Death, death, to the IDF” in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.

“Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offenses may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation,” the police statement said.

The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was “deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival.”

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was “not appropriate” for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.

The band’s frontman Liam Og O hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offense last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.

A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival’s organizers and the BBC broadcaster — which is showing the event — had questions to answer.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.

“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,” Streeting told Sky News.

“I wish they’d take the violence of their own citizens toward Palestinians more seriously,” he said.


Putin and Trump discuss Iran and Ukraine wars: Kremlin

Updated 4 sec ago
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Putin and Trump discuss Iran and Ukraine wars: Kremlin

  • Putin and Trump held a one-hour call in their first talks since December

MOSCOW: Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump on Monday discussed the Iran war and Ukraine conflict during a “frank and constructive” telephone call, the Kremlin said.
Putin and Trump held a one-hour call in their first talks since December and Washington sought the discussion, Putin’s diplomatic adviser Yuri Ushakov was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies.
“The accent was placed on the situation surrounding the conflict with Iran and the bilateral negotiations underway with the representatives of the United States on settling the Ukrainian question,” Ushakov said.
Ushakov said Putin called for a “quick political and diplomatic settlement” to the US-Israeli war against Iran, which has been a key ally for Russia.
The Russian leader also gave Trump “a description of the current situation on the line of contact where Russian troops are progressing with a lot of success,” he added, referring to the Ukraine war.
Putin “positively evaluated the mediation efforts undertaken” by Trump in the Ukraine conflict, the adviser said. A series of talks have been held between Russian and US officials and between Russian, US and Ukrainian officials, but with no breakthrough in efforts to reach a ceasefire.
Ushakov said Washington had wanted to “discuss a series of extremely important questions linked to the current international situation.”
“The conversation was serious and constructive,” he added.
Trump and Putin held a summit in Alaska in August last year.