BBC Faces Criticism Over Livestream of Antisemitic Glastonbury Chants

The BBC faced widespread criticism after it livestreamed a controversial Glastonbury Festival performance by British rap punk duo Bob Vylan, during which frontman Bobby Vylan led chants such as “Death, death to the IDF” and “Free, free Palestine.” The BBC's director-general, Tim Davie, was present at the festival and was informed only after the performance, subsequently directing that it not be included in further coverage. The broadcaster expressed regret for not stopping the livestream and acknowledged the offensive nature of the chants, but continued to make the performance available on iPlayer with on-screen warnings, which drew condemnation from various quarters including the Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, who called the incident a national shame and a failure to treat antisemitism seriously. Ofcom, the broadcasting regulator, expressed serious concern, while political figures including Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Education Minister Jacqui Smith criticized the BBC's failure to cut the feed sooner. The controversy has sparked calls for stronger editorial controls at future events to prevent the broadcast of hate speech and discriminatory language.