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The BBC Aired Anti-Jewish Hate Speech and Broadcast It Across the World
Bob Vylan music duo performance at Glastonbury Festival (Source: FLIKR)
The viral footage of British pop-punk duo Bob Vylan leading a crowd of thousands in antisemitic chants at Glastonbury is as disturbing as it is revealing. It shows how far anti-Jewish hatred has penetrated mainstream British culture. And more damningly, it exposes the role of the UK’s public broadcaster in normalizing this climate of hate.
In a performance likened by some to a neo-Nazi rally, frontman Bobby Vylan incited the crowd to chant “Death, death to the IDF,” followed by “Free, free Palestine,” and once again, “Death, death to the IDF.” He then closed with his twist on the now-ubiquitous Hamas slogan: “From the river to the sea, Palestine must be, will be, free.”
The band performed in front of a screen that read: “Free Palestine. United Nations have called it a genocide. The BBC calls it a ‘conflict.’” This, from a band that took its name from Bob Dylan, a Jewish musician who once lived on an Israeli kibbutz, not unlike the ones attacked by Hamas on October 7. Dylan even wrote a song defending Zionism. One wonders if the irony is lost on them, because it certainly wasn’t on us.
Even more chilling was Bobby Vylan’s open call for violence: “We are not pacifist punks here over at Bob Vylan Enterprises. We are the violent punks, because sometimes, you have to get your message across with violence — because that is the only language some people speak.”
Let that sit for a moment. On stage at the UK’s most iconic music festival, a performer openly called for violence, was cheered by a huge crowd, and then broadcast straight into people’s living rooms.
The performance went viral almost instantly. Politicians from across the UK political spectrum condemned it. The police opened an investigation. The government revealed that Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy had contacted the BBC’s Director-General demanding an “urgent explanation” as to why the performance aired.
The opposition Conservative Party chair Kemi Badenoch called the performance “grotesque,” adding: “Glorifying violence against Jews isn’t edgy. Less than two years ago, hundreds were raped and murdered at a music festival. It’s not just the act, it’s the gormless people clapping along and cheering — people with no idea what real terror is.”
And the BBC? It issued a statement several hours later defending its failure to cut the livestream on the grounds that it had informed viewers about “discriminatory language”:
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.
A warning on screen. That’s their excuse for airing what, without a shred of hyperbole, was a festival performance that descended into something indistinguishable from a hate rally.
Worse still, the BBC knew this could happen. Bob Vylan had already used their Coachella slot earlier this year to lead anti-Israel chants, as had another band invited to Glastonbury: the Northern Irish group Kneecap.
Kneecap also went viral for its Coachella performance, which featured violent anti-Israel messaging. The band is currently under police investigation for a UK show where it waved a Hezbollah flag and shouted “Up Hamas, up Hezbollah.” In light of this, the BBC made the decision not to livestream Kneecap’s Glastonbury set, which, by the way, was scheduled immediately after Bob Vylan.
Yet despite supposedly learning from past mistakes, the BBC still allowed Bob Vylan’s set to air live. Kneecap, too, made its Glastonbury moment about glorifying terrorism, shouting “Free Palestine” and taking a shot at UK politics: “The Prime Minister of your country, not mine, said he didn’t want us to play, so f*** Keir Starmer.”
So far, Kneecap has lost its US representation over its open flirtation with terrorism, but it’s also gained a whole new fan base. The kind that isn’t there for the music, but for the antisemitism. It turns out that being an antisemite in the entertainment industry pays.
Let’s be clear. Bob Vylan doesn’t care about Palestinians. Before October 7 — before more than 1,200 Israelis were butchered by Hamas, hundreds taken hostage, and a music festival turned into a massacre — they hadn’t uttered a word about “Palestine.” But after Kneecap stole their thunder at Coachella, they came to Glastonbury determined to go even further. And they did.
But the real villains here aren’t just the talentless, hateful musicians. The deeper rot lies first with the BBC, which didn’t just fail to act in advance, but continued airing the performance. The corporation’s coverage of Israel has long been a masterclass in bias. Its news division has distorted the Israel–Palestinian conflict so thoroughly that the British public can barely distinguish fact from Hamas propaganda.
Then there are the Glastonbury Festival organizers, who now insist the performance “crossed a line” and say they’re “urgently reminding” artists not to engage in hate speech. A convenient stance, coming from the very people who invited and paid these acts to appear in the first place.
And finally, the UK government, which suddenly claims to be horrified, despite having allowed London to become ground zero for weekly marches calling for Israel’s destruction. Marches filled with “Globalize the Intifada” slogans and placards glorifying terrorism. Police looked away. Ministers stayed silent. Now, they act surprised.
They all helped build this. And now they act shocked that the monster they fed has taken the stage.
On June 30, UK media regulator Ofcom said the BBC has “questions to answer” over why the performance was aired, and is “urgently” seeking more information. In a new statement, the BBC admitted it should have pulled the stream, calling Bob Vylan’s antisemitic comments “utterly unacceptable.” It added: “With hindsight we regret this did not happen,” and said it will review its guidance for live broadcasts.
The author is a contributor to HonestReporting, a Jerusalem-based media watchdog with a focus on antisemitism and anti-Israel bias — where a version of this article first appeared.
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Federal Authorities Warn of Lone-Wolf Terror Threats Ahead of July 4 Festivities
Law enforcement officers work at the scene after an attack that injured multiple people in Boulder, Colorado, June 1, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt
Federal authorities have warned that lone-actor attacks pose the greatest terrorism threat to Fourth of July celebrations, amid a rise in violent incidents and extremist threats across the country.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are closely monitoring potential threats ahead of July 4 festivities, raising concerns about lone-wolf attacks similar to the New Year’s car-ramming incident in New Orleans that killed 14 people.
“We are concerned about the potential threat of copycat attacks inspired by the 2025 New Year’s Day vehicle-ramming attack in New Orleans and continued [foreign terrorist organizations] messaging calling for attacks against Western targets,” a threat assessment bulletin obtained by ABC News said.
The bulletin warned that “special events with high attendance and media coverage … remain attractive targets” for both domestic and foreign terrorists, as well as violent extremists seeking to “cause mass casualties or draw attention to their causes.”
Although no specific or credible threats have been identified, authorities warn that US-based extremists and lone actors pose the greatest risk to Independence Day gatherings.
According to the bulletin, authorities are concerned about the potential use of chemicals in attacks on crowds, similar to the Boulder incident where a man threw Molotov cocktails into a group of Jewish demonstrators raising awareness about hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza, killing one person and injuring 13 others.
“The Department of Homeland Security is working closely with the FBI and other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to ensure a safe and secure Independence Day across the nation,” a spokesperson for DHS told Newsweek.
“We are enhancing security measures and coordinating intelligence-sharing to proactively address potential risks, including those from lone wolf actors. At this time, DHS is not aware of any specific, credible threats to Fourth of July celebrations,” the agency said.
With escalating tensions in the Middle East — including the war in Gaza and Israel’s conflict with Iran — the United States has seen a rise in antisemitic attacks and terrorist threats, prompting concerns that similar violence could erupt on July 4.
“Most attackers motivated at least in part by the Israel-HAMAS conflict have selected targets with a symbolic link to Israel, houses of worship, or locations associated with houses of worship,” the threat assessment said.
“Individuals with grievances linked to the conflict could also perceive large gatherings, such as Independence Day celebrations, as opportunistic targets symbolic of the West in general,” it continued.
Two weeks before the firebombing of a march for Israeli hostages in Colorado, a gunman murdered two Israeli Embassy staffers in Washington, DC, as they were leaving an event at the Capital Jewish Museum hosted by the American Jewish Committee.
The suspect charged for the double murder, 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez from Chicago, also yelled “Free Palestine” while being arrested by local police after the shooting, according to video of the incident.
Last week, the US Department of Justice said it is closely tracking potential threats to the Jewish community nationwide amid growing concerns over Iranian sleeper cells launching attacks and the fallout from recent American and Israeli military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi reiterated the Trump administration’s recent warnings about potential Iran-linked sleeper cells and domestic radicalization, following escalating tensions in the Middle East during the 12-day Iran-Israel war.
Following the US strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites, law enforcement agencies across the country have ramped up surveillance of Iran-backed operatives amid growing fears of retaliation.
Although no specific or credible threats have yet emerged, US Customs and Border Protection says the threat of sleeper cells has “never been higher.”
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Hamas Warns Against Cooperation with US Relief Efforts In Bid to Restore Grip on Gaza
Hamas terrorists carry grenade launchers at the funeral of Marwan Issa, a senior Hamas deputy military commander who was killed in an Israeli airstrike during the conflict between Israel and Hamas, in the central Gaza Strip, Feb. 7, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Ramadan Abed
The Hamas-run Interior Ministry in Gaza has warned residents not to cooperate with the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, as the terror group seeks to reassert its grip on the enclave amid mounting international pressure to accept a US-brokered ceasefire.
“It is strictly forbidden to deal with, work for, or provide any form of assistance or cover to the American organization (GHF) or its local or foreign agents,” the Interior Ministry said in a statement Thursday.
“Legal action will be taken against anyone proven to be involved in cooperation with this organization, including the imposition of the maximum penalties stipulated in the applicable national laws,” the statement warns.
The GHF released a statement in response to Hamas’ warnings, saying the organization has delivered millions of meals “safely and without interference.”
“This statement from the Hamas-controlled Interior Ministry confirms what we’ve known all along: Hamas is losing control,” the GHF said.
The GHF began distributing food packages in Gaza in late May, implementing a new aid delivery model aimed at preventing the diversion of supplies by Hamas, as Israel continues its defensive military campaign against the Palestinian terrorist group.
The initiative has drawn criticism from the UN and international organizations, some of which have claimed that Jerusalem is causing starvation in the war-torn enclave.
Israel has vehemently denied such accusations, noting that, until its recently imposed blockade, it had provided significant humanitarian aid in the enclave throughout the war.
Israeli officials have also said much of the aid that flows into Gaza is stolen by Hamas, which uses it for terrorist operations and sells the rest at high prices to Gazan civilians.
According to their reports, the organization has delivered over 56 million meals to Palestinians in just one month.
Hamas’s latest threat comes amid growing international pressure to accept a US-backed ceasefire plan proposed by President Donald Trump, which sets a 60-day timeline to finalize the details leading to a full resolution of the conflict.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump announced that Israel has agreed to the “necessary conditions” to finalize a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, though Israel has not confirmed this claim.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet with Trump next week in Washington, DC — his third visit in less than six months — as they work to finalize the terms of the ceasefire agreement.
Even though Trump hasn’t provided details on the proposed truce, he said Washington would “work with all parties to end the war” during the 60-day period.
“I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better — IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE,” he wrote in a social media post.
Since the start of the war, ceasefire talks between Jerusalem and Hamas have repeatedly failed to yield enduring results.
Israeli officials have previously said they will only agree to end the war if Hamas surrenders, disarms, and goes into exile — a demand the terror group has firmly rejected.
“I am telling you — there will be no Hamas,” Netanyahu said during a speech Wednesday.
For its part, Hamas has said it is willing to release the remaining 50 hostages — fewer than half of whom are believed to be alive — in exchange for a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and an end to the war.
While the terrorist group said it is “ready and serious” to reach a deal that would end the war, it has yet to accept this latest proposal.
In a statement, the group said it aims to reach an agreement that “guarantees an end to the aggression, the withdrawal [of Israeli forces], and urgent relief for our people in the Gaza Strip.”
According to media reports, the proposed 60-day ceasefire would include a partial Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, a surge in humanitarian aid, and the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas, with US and mediator assurances on advancing talks to end the war — though it remains unclear how many hostages would be freed.
For Israel, the key to any deal is the release of most, if not all, hostages still held in Gaza, as well as the disarmament of Hamas, while the terror group is seeking assurances to end the war as it tries to reassert control over the war-torn enclave.
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UK Lawmakers Move to Designate Palestine Action as Terrorist Group Following RAF Vandalism Protest
Police block a street as pro-Palestinian demonstrators gather to protest British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper’s plans to proscribe the “Palestine Action” group in the coming weeks, in London, Britain, June 23, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
British lawmakers voted Wednesday to designate Palestine Action as a terrorist organization, following the group’s recent vandalizing of two military aircraft at a Royal Air Force base in protest of the government’s support for Israel.
Last month, members of the UK-based anti-Israel group Palestine Action broke into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, a county west of London, and vandalized two Voyager aircraft used for military transport and refueling — the latest in a series of destructive acts carried out by the organization.
Palestine Action has regularly targeted British sites connected to Israeli defense firm Elbit Systems as well as other companies in Britain linked to Israel since the start of the conflict in Gaza in 2023.
Under British law, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has the authority to ban an organization if it is believed to commit, promote, or otherwise be involved in acts of terrorism.
Passed overwhelmingly by a vote of 385 to 26 in the lower chamber — the House of Commons — the measure is now set to be reviewed by the upper chamber, the House of Lords, on Thursday.
If approved, the ban would take effect within days, making it a crime to belong to or support Palestine Action and placing the group on the same legal footing as Al Qaeda, Hamas, and the Islamic State under UK law.
Palestine Action, which claims that Britain is an “active participant” in the Gaza conflict due to its military support for Israel, condemned the ban as “an unhinged reaction” and announced plans to challenge it in court — similar to the legal challenges currently being mounted by Hamas.
Under the Terrorism Act 2000, belonging to a proscribed group is a criminal offense punishable by up to 14 years in prison or a fine, while wearing clothing or displaying items supporting such a group can lead to up to six months in prison and/or a fine of up to £5,000.
Palestine Action claimed responsibility for the recent attack, in which two of its activists sprayed red paint into the turbine engines of two Airbus Voyager aircraft and used crowbars to inflict additional damage.
According to the group, the red paint — also sprayed across the runway — was meant to symbolize “Palestinian bloodshed.” A Palestine Liberation Organization flag was also left at the scene.
On Thursday, local authorities arrested four members of the group, aged between 22 and 35, who were charged with conspiracy to enter a prohibited place knowingly for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the UK, as well as conspiracy to commit criminal damage.
Palestine Action said this latest attack was carried out as a protest against the planes’ role in supporting what the group called Israel’s “genocide” in Gaza.
At the time of the attack, Cooper condemned the group’s actions, stating that their behavior had grown increasingly aggressive and resulted in millions of pounds in damages.
“The disgraceful attack on Brize Norton … is the latest in a long history of unacceptable criminal damage committed by Palestine Action,” Cooper said in a written statement.
“The UK’s defense enterprise is vital to the nation’s national security and this government will not tolerate those that put that security at risk,” she continued.
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