Palestinian flags and chants including “death to Israel” and “death to the IDF” were part of British band Bob Vylan’s performance that was carried live by the BBC.
Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democracy. But when speech crosses into incitement, hatred and advocacy of ethnic cleansing, it must be called out,” the embassy said in a post.
“Chants such as ‘Death to the IDF’ and ‘From the river to the sea’ are slogans that advocate for the dismantling of the State of Israel and implicitly call for the elimination of Jewish self-determination. When such messages are delivered before tens of thousands of festivalgoers and met with applause, it raises serious concerns about the normalization of extremist language and the glorification of violence.”
Glastonbury organizer Emily Eavis said in a post that chants “death to the IDF” crossed a line.
“As a festival, we stand against all forms of war and terrorism – we will always believe in – and actively campaign for – hope, unity, peace and love,” adding a performer’s comments “should never be seen as a tacit endorsement of their opinions and beliefs”.
