U.K. punk duo Bob Vylan released a statement on Tuesday morning responding to the controversy surrounding their Glastonbury performance over the weekend, in which they led chants of “Death to the IDF” and “Free Palestine.”
“We are not for the death of Jews, Arabs or any other race or group of people,” they said in a post on social media. “We are for the dismantling of a violent military machine. A machine whose own soldiers were told to use ‘unnecessary lethal force’ against innocent civilians waiting for aid. A machine that has destroyed much of Gaza.”
“Video footage and audio from Bob Vylan and Kneecap’s performances at Glastonbury Festival on Saturday has been reviewed,” the Avon and Somerset police revealed in a Monday statement. “Following the completion of that assessment process we have decided further enquiries are required and a criminal investigation is now being undertaken.”[1]
ImagetoText:
NOT THE FIRST. NOT THE LAST.
TODAY, A GOOD MANY PEOPLE WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE A PUNK BAND IS THE NUMBER ONE THREAT TO WORLD PEACE. LAST WEEK IT WAS A PALESTINE PRESSURE GROUP, THE WEEK BEFORE THAT IT WAS ANOTHER BAND.
WE ARE NOT FOR THE DEATH OF JEWS, ARABS OR ANY OTHER RACE OR GRO UP OF PEOPLE. WE ARE FOR THE DISMANTLING OF A VIOLENT MILITARY MACHINE. A MACHINE WHOSE OWN SOLDIERS WERE TOLD TO USE ‘UNNECESSARY LETHAL FORCE’ AGAINST INNOCENT CIVILIANS WAITING FOR AID. A MACHINE THAT HAS DESTROYED MUCH OF GAZA.
WE, LIKE THOSE IN THE SPOTLIGHT BEFORE US, ARE NOT THE STORY. WE ARE A DISTRACTION FROM THE STORY. AND WHATEVER SANCTIONS WE RECEIVE WILL BE A DISTRACTION.
THE GOVERNMENT DOESN’T WANT US TO ASK WHY THEY REMAIN SILENT IN THE FACE OF THIS ATROCITY? TO ASK WHY THEY AREN’T DOING MORE TO STOP THE KILLING? TO FEED THE STARVING?
THE MORE TIME THEY TALK ABOUT BOB VYLAN, THE LESS TIME THEY SPEND ANSWERING FOR THEIR CRIMINAL INACTION.
WE ARE BEING TARGETED FOR SPEAKING UP. WE ARE NOT THE FIRST. WE WILL NOT BE THE LAST. AND IF YOU CARE FOR THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH, WE URGE YOU TO SPEAK UP, TOO.