On Monday, a series of Israeli missiles were launched at a popular beachfront cafe in Gaza City, reportedly killing at least 30 people and injuring 60 others. The coffee shop, which had withstood nearly two years of bombings, was one of the last remaining internet access points and a place for community for Palestinians, particularly women and children. Among the dead were Palestinian photojournalist, Ismail Abu Hatab, and an internationally acclaimed artist, Frans al-Salmi. Concurrently, Israeli forces also murdered 15 people on a street, six people outside the town of Zawaida, and 11 people seeking aid in southern Gaza.
Vylan further led a “death to the IDF” chant that immediately went viral and ignited an outrage campaign. In the last 48 hours, it’s cost the duo their management, support from Glastonbury organizers, and most egregious of all, their U.S. visas. A police investigation in the U.K. has also been launched into both Vylan and Kneecap’s sets for “hate speech.”
“We are appalled by the statements made from the West Holts stage by Bob Vylan yesterday,” Emily Eavis, the organizer of Glastonbury, said in a statement. “Their chants very much crossed a line and we are urgently reminding everyone involved in the production of the festival that there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence.” Given the festival has a storied history of welcoming political statements from its headliners, the fact that a cry for an unchecked death machine’s demise is suddenly comparable to criminal activity is genuinely absurd.
Fortunately, Vylan isn’t issuing any apologies. On Instagram, he posted a lengthy response to the backlash, writing: “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 group 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.”
“I said what I said,” Vylan continued: “Let them see us marching in the streets, campaigning on ground level, organizing online and shouting about it on any and every stage that we are offered.”
It can’t be stressed enough: When a country has exterminated hundreds of thousands of lives, and continues to do so under the protection of the batshit argument that any criticism of it’s actions is anti-semitic, it’s everyone’s moral responsibility to make their outrage known. In every venue possible. And judging by the overwhelmingly positive response the headliners who did say something received from the crowds, more and more audiences are agreeing. As Nina Simone once said, “An artist’s duty is to reflect the times.”
As far as I’m concerned, Bob Vylan might’ve lost their management, their visas, and the support of a major festival, but they found at least one new fan. I hope for a day when the overwhelming majority of artists see that as more valuable than acceptance from corporate shills, brand safety, and a swelling bank account.
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