Police have closed their investigation into punk duo Bob Vylan over a chant calling for the death of Israeli soldiers during their Glastonbury Festival set, citing insufficient evidence for a conviction.
Investigation Concludes Without Charges
Avon and Somerset Police announced on Tuesday that they will take no further action against the musical act. The decision follows a criminal investigation launched after the band's performance on the West Holts Stage on Saturday, June 28.
During the set, lead singer Bobby Vylan, whose real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, led the crowd in chanting "death, death to the IDF" (Israel Defense Forces). The moment was broadcast by the BBC, which later apologised for the incident after significant criticism.
Legal Threshold Not Met
In a formal statement, the police force explained their reasoning: "No further action will be taken on the basis there is insufficient evidence for there to be a realistic prospect of conviction." The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) confirmed this was a police decision, though they had provided early investigative advice.
The police acknowledged the widespread anger caused by the comments, stating: "We believe it is right this matter was comprehensively investigated, every potential criminal offence was thoroughly considered." They added that they had proactively engaged with Jewish community groups throughout the process.
Wider Fallout and Related Cases
The controversy had significant repercussions for Bob Vylan. The duo were dropped from several events, including Radar festival and a German music venue performance. A planned US tour was cancelled after their visas were revoked.
In a related development, the Metropolitan Police also closed a separate investigation into a similar chant made by Bobby Vylan during a performance supporting Iggy Pop at London's Alexandra Palace in May. This decision was also made following CPS advice.
Irish language rap group Kneecap, who performed after Bob Vylan at Glastonbury and were also investigated for on-stage comments, were informed in July that no further action would be taken against them either.
The police confirmed that a man in his mid-thirties was interviewed voluntarily in November in connection with the Glastonbury incident and was informed of the outcome on Tuesday.
