Bob Vylan Speaks Out Amid Glastonbury Outrage: ‘We Are Not for the Death of Jews… We Are for the Dismantling of a Violent Military Machine’

UK punk group Bob Vylan has responded to the uproar over its “death to the IDF” comments at the Glastonbury festival with a statement that doubles down on the artist’s pro-Palestinian position, albeit with less inflammatory language and more explanatory context than was found in their concert chant, which the BBC labeled as “antisemitic.”

via: Variety

In reference to the controversial “death to the IDF” chant it led during its set, the group claimed in a social media post: “We are not for the death of jews, arabs or any other race or group of people. We are for the dismantling of a violent military machine. A machine whose own soldiers were told to use “unnecessary lethal force” against innocent civilians waiting for aid. A machine that has destroyed much of Gaza.”

Vylan is referencing an investigation last week by Israeli publication Haaretz, which spoke to IDF officers and soldiers who said they were ordered to fire at unarmed crowds near food distribution sites in Gaza, even when no threat was present. Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed at such sites.

The lightning-rod Glastonbury performance, which also saw the group repeating the inflammatory slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”, has drawn ire from many UK and US politicians, media commentators and Jewish organizations. The police are currently carrying out an investigation into the group’s statements during the festival, as well as that of Irish band Kneecap. As we revealed, Vylan has been dropped by reps UTA, and the U.S. has withdrawn visas for the band.

Meanwhile, the BBC has come under great scrutiny for not shutting down the live stream of the set.

In relation to the UK government’s involvement in Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza and presumably to the vast amount of media attention focused on the band’s actions, the group added today: “We, like those in the spotlight before us, are not the story. We are a distraction from the story. And whatever sanctions we receive will be a distraction. The government doesn’t want us to ask why they remain silent in the face of this atrocity? To ask why they aren’t doing more to stop the killing? To feed the starving?”

The performance has drawn opprobrium from many. Some have also taken the opportunity to caution that both the Israeli and UK governments need to do more to end the killing in Gaza and improve the humanitarian situation.

You can read the band’s full statement below:

“Today, a good many people would have you believe a punk band is the number one threat to world peace.

“Last week it was a Palestine pressure group, the week before that it was another band.

“We are not for the death of jews, arabs or any other race or group of people.

“We are for the dismantling of a violent military machine. A machine whose own soldiers were told to use “unnecessary lethal force” against innocent civilians waiting for aid.

“A machine that has destroyed much of Gaza.

“We, like those in the spotlight before us, are not the story.

“We are a distraction from the story. And whatever sanctions we receive will be a distraction.

“The government doesn’t want us to ask why they remain silent in the face of this atrocity? To ask why they aren’t doing more to stop the killing? To feed the starving?

“The more time they talk about Bob Vylan, the less time they spend answering for their criminal inaction.

“We are being targeted for speaking up. We are not the first. We will not be the last. And if you care for the sanctity of human life and freedom of speech, we urge you to speak up too.

“Free Palestine.”