The US government has revoked the visas of the British punk-rap duo Bob Vylan following their controversial performance at the Glastonbury Festival, in which frontman Bobby Vylan led chants widely interpreted as antisemitic and inciting violence, US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau announced Monday.
During their Friday set, the band鈥檚 lead vocalist encouraged the crowd to chant 鈥淒eath, death to the IDF鈥 and 鈥淔rom the river to the sea, Palestine must be, will be, inshallah, it will be free.鈥 The US State Department said the slogans promoted hatred and violence and violated basic standards for foreign visitors.
鈥淭he State Department has revoked the US visas for the members of the Bob Vylan band in light of their hateful tirade at Glastonbury, including leading the crowd in death chants,鈥 Landau posted on X.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce defended the move in a press briefing on Tuesday, describing the decision as a matter of national security. 鈥淔oreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country,鈥 Bruce said.
When pressed on whether publicly discussing visa decisions contradicts long-standing US policy on confidentiality, Bruce responded: 鈥淭his was a very public event that violated鈥 a very basic standard about the nature of who we want to let into the country.鈥
Asked about the apparent contradiction between this visa cancellation and the administration鈥檚 previously vocal support for free speech abroad, Bruce insisted that the issue was not about restricting artistic expression but about security and values.
鈥淭hey obviously felt free to say what they were saying and chanting at Glastonbury, and they can do that. And we can do what we do,鈥 she said. 鈥淭his really is about the issue of national security鈥 Every American deserves better.鈥
The duo had been scheduled to begin a 20-date US tour in October. They have since been dropped by their agency, United Talent, and a police investigation is underway in the UK. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy both condemned the Glastonbury performance. The BBC, which livestreamed the set, later removed it from its iPlayer platform, admitting it should have cut the feed during the offensive segment.
In a social media response, Bobby Vylan stood by his message, stating that it was 鈥渋ncredibly important that we encourage and inspire future generations to pick up the torch that was passed to us,鈥 and that 鈥渢eaching our children to speak up for the change they want and need is the only way that we make this world a better place.鈥