By Nick Jackson
Punk band Bob Vylan will not appear at a festival at Manchester鈥檚 02 Victoria Warehouse this weekend. They were due to headline the Radar Festival at Victoria Warehouse on Saturday (July 5). It follows the backlash following their Glastonbury appearance at the weekend which is under investigation by the Avon and Somerset Police. During the performance, frontman Bobby Vylan changed 鈥榙eath to the IDF鈥 referring to the Israel Defence Forces. Radar festival said in a statement on Instagram on Wednesday: 鈥淏ob Vylan will not be appearing at Radar festival this weekend.鈥 It has since updated its website, changing the Saturday slot to 鈥淗eadliner TBA鈥 (to be announced). Victoria Warehouse is within Trafford 鈥檚 council鈥檚 boundary and the authority鈥檚 Conservative group opposition leader, Coun Nathan Evans, earlier wrote to chief executive Sara Todd expressing 鈥榗oncern over the upcoming performance by the group鈥. Marc Levy, chief executive of the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and Region, said: 鈥淏ob Vylan has engaged in open incitement against Jewish and Israeli people in the biggest music festival in the world. “The fact that this was broadcast live on the BBC is a national shame. 鈥淚t’s right they have been criticised and given an apology. 鈥淲e have noted the act was due to perform in Manchester and call on our elected representatives and police to ensure that this performance does not go ahead. We need to ensure that those engaging in hate speech do not have a platform in this city.鈥 UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) said they had written to the Academy Music Group, owners of the Trafford Park venue, warning them that the show should be cancelled, given the risk that the punk duo would repeat their offensive display of anti-Semitic chants. UKLFI listed the potential breaches of the law if the punk duo were allowed to play. Bob Vylan issued a statement on Tuesday claiming they were being 鈥渢argeted for speaking up鈥. — Day in day out, our reporters in the Manchester Evening News newsroom bring you remarkable stories from all aspects of Mancunian life. However, with the pace of life these days, the frenetic news agenda and social media algorithms, you might not be getting a chance to read it. That’s why every week our Features and Perspectives editor Rob Williams brings you Unmissable , highlighting the best of what we do – bringing it to you directly from us. Make sure you don’t miss out, and see what else we have to offer, by clicking here and signing up for MEN Daily News. And be sure to join our politics writer Jo Timan every Sunday for his essential commentary on what matters most to you in Greater Manchester each week in our newsletter Due North. You can also sign up for that here. You can also get all your favourite content from the Manchester Evening News on WhatsApp. Click here to see everything we offer, including everything from breaking news to Coronation Street. If you prefer reading our stories on your phone, consider downloading the Manchester Evening News app here, and our news desk will make sure every time an essential story breaks, you’ll be the first to hear about it. And finally, if there is a story you think our journalists should be looking into, we want to hear from you. Email us on newsdesk@men-news.co.uk or give us a ring on 0161 211 2920.