The BBC has been reported to the police for broadcasting Bob Vylan’s chant, wishing Death to the IDF.

UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) reported the BBC to Avon and Somerset Police for committing a criminal offence by broadcasting a programme involving threatening, abusive or insulting sounds whereby racial hatred is likely to be stirred up, contrary to section 22 of the Public Order Act 1986.

Pascal Robinson-Foster, whose stage name is Bobby Vylan, was allowed to chant “Death Death to the IDF”, live at Glastonbury yesterday afternoon, to encourage thousands of people in the audience to follow with the same chant.  He also engaged in an antisemitic rant about being employed by a Zionist. The gullible audience, many of whom were waving Palestine flags, reminded some of Nazi rallies in the 1930s and 1940s.

The Palestine flags had been sold by enterprising vendors at the entry to West Holts, the stage at Glastonbury, in anticipation of the performance by Kneecap, the pro-Palestinian Irish band, whom many were saying should not be allowed to perform.

It is likely that the duo Bob Vylan, who were performing immediately prior to Kneecap, were also cashing in on the sentiments of the audience, and on the expectations of the media in relation to Kneecap, by purposely creating their own media storm with their offensive chants in order to raise their own profile.

The chants led by the band Bob Vylan included “Free Free Palestine, Death, Death to the IDF” and “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free”.

These chants stirred up hatred against Israelis and Jews, endorsing the idea that they deserve death.

The BBC could easily have stopped broadcasting this performance, and switched to a different stage. However, it failed to do so, allowing the broadcast of this hate speech to continue.

UKLFI had already reported Bob Vylan to the Avon and Somerset Police.  The police have responded, saying : “Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation.”

A UKLFI spokesperson said: “The BBC should be prosecuted for this criminal offence. Promoting hatred must be firmly deterred. ”