Bob Vylan US visa revoked after 'hateful' Glastonbury set and band dropped by agent

Following their sensational performance at Glastonbury, Bob Vylan's US visa application has been declined. The pair stirred controversy with chants of "Death to the IDF" during their set at Worthy Farm.

Their plans to tour the United States later in the year have hit a snag with their visa applications being rejected. Commenting on the issue, United States Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau stated: "The @StateDept has revoked the US visas for the members of the Bob Vylan band in light of their hateful tirade at Glastonbury, including leading the crowd in death chants.

"Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country."

The group, scheduled for an October tour in the US, faced considerable backlash for the contentious content of their performance preceding Kneecap, reports the Mirror.

Bob Vylan, subsequently axed by their representation agency, appeared live on BBC; however, the broadcaster has clarified they do not plan to rerun the set on iPlayer.

U.S. Ambassador to Britain Warren Stephens labelled Bob Vylan's conduct at the festival "a disgrace", remarking: "The anti-Semitic chants led by Bob Vylan at Glastonbury were a disgrace. There should be no place for this hateful incitement or tolerance of antisemitism in the UK."

Similarly, Downing Street responded to the incident asserting it was "right" of the BBC to acknowledge regret over the broadcast of their performance.

A Number 10 spokesperson condemned the remarks made by Bob Vylan at Glastonbury, stating: "We strongly condemn the threatening comments made by Bob Vylan at Glastonbury. The Prime Minister has been clear that any performers making threats or inciting violence should not be given a platform."

The spokesperson continued, citing the need for accountability from the BBC: "The BBC needs to explain how these scenes came to be broadcast. It's right that they have now acknowledged the live stream should have been pulled and that they will look at guidance around live events going forward."

On the same day, the BBC admitted that it should not have allowed the live feed of Bob Vylan's performance to continue. His set was uploaded to iPlayer and remained available for over five hours before being taken down.

In a statement, the BBC addressed the incident: "Millions of people tuned in to enjoy Glastonbury this weekend across the BBC's output but one performance within our live streams included comments that were deeply offensive."

Building on their commitment to broadcast standards, the BBC's statement also affirmed their stance against hate speech: "The BBC respects freedom of expression but stands firmly against incitement to violence. The antisemitic sentiments expressed by Bob Vylan were utterly unacceptable and have no place on our airwaves. We welcome Glastonbury's condemnation of the performance. The performance was part of a live stream of the West Holts stage on BBC iPlayer."

They elaborated: "Our decision to display a warning on-screen while streaming online on Saturday was in accordance with our editorial guidelines. Moreover, we opted not to make the performance available on-demand. Although our team was dealing with a live situation, in hindsight, we should have halted the stream during the performance. We regret that this did not occur. Following this weekend's events, we will review our guidelines for live events to ensure that our teams are clear on when it is acceptable to keep content on-air."

Singer Bobby Vylan posted on Instagram, stating "I said what I said," alongside a statement where he discussed the state of school dinners and the importance of teaching children to advocate for change.

He wrote: "As I lay in bed this morning, my phone buzzing non stop, inundated with messages of both support and hatred, I listen to my daughter typing out loud as she fills out a school survey asking for her feedback on the current state of school dinners.

"She expressed that she would like healthier meals, more options and dishes inspired by other parts of the world. Listening to her voice her opinions on a matter that she cares about and affects her daily, reminds me that we may not be doomed after all."

He added: "Teaching our children to speak up for the change they want and need is the only way that we make this world a better place.

"As we grow older and our fire possibly starts to dim under the suffocation of adult life and all its responsibilities, it is incredibly important that we encourage and inspire future generations to pick up the torch that was passed to us."

He continued, urging the importance of showing the younger generation the correct path: "display to them loudly and visibly the right thing". The artist further stressed: "Let them see us marching in the streets, campaigning on ground level, organising online and shouting about it on any and every stage that we are offered."

He wrapped up his message with a call to action: "Today is a change in school dinners, tomorrow it is a change in foreign policy."

Over the weekend, Glastonbury organiser Emily Eavis expressed her disapproval: "We are appalled by the statements made from the West Holts stage by Bob Vylan yesterday. 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."