What happened during Bob Vylan’s Glastonbury set? Rap duo’s US visas revoked following controversial comments at the festival 

The United States has confirmed that Bob Vylan's US visas have been revoked. This comes following their comments at the Glastonbury Festival 2025 on Saturday, June 28.

Bob Vylan is a rap duo comprising Bobbie Vylan and Bobby Vylan. They performed at the Glastonbury Festival on Saturday. During the show, they stood up for Palestinian liberation from Israel. They projected a message on the screen that read,

“United Nations have called it a genocide. The BBC calls it a ‘conflict.’”

Bobby Vylan then led the chants with the crowd for Palestinian liberation, saying,

"Free, free Palestine"

He then moved into another chant, saying,

"Death, death to the IDF"

For the unversed, IDF stands for the Israeli Defence Forces.

This chant has led to widespread controversy. The US State Department has now rescinded the duo's US visas. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau wrote in an X post on June 29:

"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 rap duo was set to perform in the US in late October and early November later this year.

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Bob Vylan's statement after the Glastonbury Festival 2025

Glastonbury Festival 2025 - Day Four (Image Source: Getty)

Since the incident at the Glastonbury Festival 2025 on June 28, Bobby Vylan has shared multiple posts on social media. He shared multiple posts and stories, highlighting the destruction of Gaza by Israel. He then shared a statement on his Instagram account on June 29 that read,

"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 her school dinners. She expressed that she would like healthier meals, more options and dishes inspired by other parts of the world."

Bobby Vylan stated that seeing his daughter speak up about the things that affect her has helped him be a little optimistic about the future. He highlighted the importance of needing to voice one's opinions and also teaching the future generation to do it. He pointed out that while adults might see their fire burn out at times, it's important to teach children to stand up for what's right.

He ended the statement with,

"Today it is a change in school dinners, tomorrow it is a change in foreign policy."

Meanwhile, the United Talent Agency (UTA) has also dropped Bob Vylan from its artists' lineup.

Glastonbury Festival also put out a statement condemning the band's comments. BBC, which telecasted the festival and Vylan's set, also issued a statement against the duo.

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