The punk duo Bob Vylan are suing RTÉ for defamation, after the broadcaster described their Glastonbury Festival performance as antisemitic. Bob Vylan appeared at Glastonbury on 28th June alongside Irish band Kneecap, and both groups were under criminal investigation for their performances.
Bobby Vylan led the Glastonbury crowd in a chant of “death, death to the IDF”, a reference to the Israel Defense Forces. On the same day, Kneecap member Móglaí Bap urged the crowd to “start a riot”, though he retracted the comment a few minutes later.
Bobby Vylan led the Glastonbury crowd in a chant of “death, death to the IDF”, a reference to the Israel Defense Forces. On the same day, Kneecap member Móglaí Bap urged the crowd to “start a riot”, though he retracted the comment a few minutes later.
On 30th June, RTÉ News reported: “The lead singer of British band Bob Vylan led antisemitic chants from the stage.” The band sued RTÉ for libel on 9th December, and announced the lawsuit in an Instagram post on 11th December: “We have decided to take legal action against RTÉ after they recklessly labelled us and our actions at Glastonbury antisemitic.”
The police investigation into Kneecap’s performance was dropped on 18th July, after less than a month. On 23rd December, Avon and Somerset Police announced that no charges would be brought against Bob Vylan, “on the basis there is insufficient evidence for there to be a realistic prospect of conviction.”
The police investigation into Kneecap’s performance was dropped on 18th July, after less than a month. On 23rd December, Avon and Somerset Police announced that no charges would be brought against Bob Vylan, “on the basis there is insufficient evidence for there to be a realistic prospect of conviction.”
