this post was submitted on 30 Jun 2025
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101
BBC smears Bob Vylan and calls them antisemitic for saying "Death to the IDF". (lemmy.ml)
submitted 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) by geneva_convenience@lemmy.ml to c/uk_politics@feddit.uk
24 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Impartial broadcaster btw.

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[–] flamingos@feddit.uk 7 points 3 weeks ago

Link to statement (Archive)

Alt textBBC statement on Glastonbury 2025

"Millions of people tuned in to enjoy Glastonbury this weekend across the BBC's output but one performance within our livestreams included comments that were deeply offensive. 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. The judgment on Saturday to issue a warning on screen while streaming online was in line with our editorial guidelines. In addition, we took the decision not to make the performance available on demand. The team were dealing with a live situation but with hindsight we should have pulled the stream during the performance. We regret this did not happen.

"In light of this weekend, we will look at our guidance around live events so we can be sure teams are clear on when it is acceptable to keep output on air."

Please include sources for images, and alt text if possible.

[–] ceenote@lemmy.world 49 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

It must be such a relief to find something to report on other than the IDF ordering soldiers to fire on crowds of starving people lining up for food.

[–] A_Union_of_Kobolds@lemmy.world 31 points 3 weeks ago

Ethnostates, man. They will always end up like this. Any criticism is "hate", which is completely dishonest.

[–] MrScottyTay@sh.itjust.works 19 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I have made a formal complaint to the BBC which you can through their site and I recommend others to do so to. I labelled it as factual inaccuracy and written the following:

In a statement about Bob Vylan at Glastonbury it was stated: 'The antisemitic sentiments expressed by Bob Vylan were utterly unacceptable and have no place on our airwaves.'

Nothing they said were antisemitic. Being critical of governing state's military killing innocent people is not the same as hating an ethnic group. This is slander to pose it as such and I am appalled at the BBC for thinking it should be. As well as thinking that such criticisms should not be live on air.

Being critical of Israel as a state is not the same as hating Jewish people as an ethnicity. Thus NOT antisemitic. It is anti-zionist at best if you are searching for a more valid label.

The BBC are meant to be impartial but this statement shows otherwise to the highest order.

[–] geneva_convenience@lemmy.ml 7 points 3 weeks ago

Great work. Mass complains is how the Israel lobby supposedly gets their way.

For others, put in a complaint if you can https://www.bbc.co.uk/contact/complaints/make-a-complaint/#/Complaint%20Summary

[–] Red5@lemmygrad.ml 17 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Which bit specifically was supposed to be antisemitic?

[–] echodot@feddit.uk 5 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

If you think about Israel in a bad light that's anti-semitic now. They can do whatever they want but you're not allowed to judge them for it. It's all Labours fault, and their utter refusal to allow any kind of nuance into the discussion.

[–] Digestive_Biscuit@feddit.uk 5 points 3 weeks ago

That was my thought as well. IDF is very specific. He wasn't saying Israel.

[–] RedditRefugee69@lemmynsfw.com 14 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Call to violence? Yes.

Antisemitic? No.

[–] ProvableGecko@lemmy.world 4 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (4 children)

Call to violence? Yes.

Calling for the dissolution of an organization is not violence, Bob Vylan was just taking his artistic liberty with the wording of the message.

Please, we don't need to do do the work of a libelous disinformation network for them.

[–] steeznson@lemmy.world 10 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I don't understand how "death" and "kill" have started being so context dependent.

When we see people protesting in parts of the world chanting "death to the west" on tv, does the average person watching it understand it's a figure of speech which is implicitly calling for social justice or whatever?

Social media posts too like "kill fascists/nazis", I am terminally online enough to read it as a figure of speech but it's pretty clunky.

FWIW Israel are committing war crimes in Gaza and protesting at Glastonbury where there are lots of eyeballs watching makes sense. I just find the rhetoric a bit clumsy if you are chanting words that sound catchy but don't mean to use them in their normative sense.

[–] echodot@feddit.uk 5 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

I don't think we actually need to litigate that since it isn't relevant one way or the other. The accusation is that the statement was anti-semitic, it wasn't anti-semitic. Whether or not it was a call to violence is actually irrelevant to that part of the discussion.

I have no idea if it was or wasn't because I didn't witness it and now I can't.

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 1 points 3 weeks ago

Whether or not it was a call to violence is actually irrelevant to that part of the discussion. I have no idea if it was or wasn't because I didn't witness it and now I can't.

There's video of it you could watch. The dude chanted "Death! Death! Death to the IDF!"

This isn't anti-semetic, but it could be interpreted as a call to violent action if you take "death" as literal.

[–] ProvableGecko@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

I have no idea if it was or wasn’t because I didn’t witness it and now I can’t.

Are you typing this comment on your TV that only receives BBC? You know the video is one "bob vylan glastonbury 2025" youtube search away right?

As for Bob Vylan the British courts are going to throw the book at him like they did with Kneecap so it's important to reiterate that his speech was not targeted at an individual or a protected minority group.

[–] echodot@feddit.uk 1 points 3 weeks ago

All I said was I couldn't view the content and I can't.

I didn't watch the original broadcast so I have no frame of reference for any of this. I'm sure there are other copies but the problem is I don't know what I'm supposed to Google because who the hell is this guy?

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

That is some serious linguistic contortion. You're going to pull a muscle.

[–] ProvableGecko@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago

No actually, I am very comfortable, thanks!

[–] RedditRefugee69@lemmynsfw.com 0 points 3 weeks ago

Hey, I hope you serve on juries because you're wrong in the morally correct direction.

I hope the IDF is radically changed or dissolved.

[–] cupcakezealot@piefed.blahaj.zone 6 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

does bbc and glastonbury not listen to the artists they book for the show or something or are they just fucking stupid? like how are you shocked that you booked a punk band and they came out against genocide and the military?

[–] Ruchbah@feddit.uk 5 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8418158.stm

Reminds me of this!

The BBC has apologised after Radio 5 live listeners heard Rage Against the Machine swearing in a live performance of their song Killing In The Name.

[–] cupcakezealot@piefed.blahaj.zone 1 points 3 weeks ago

jesus christ.

[–] Gradually_Adjusting@lemmy.world 1 points 3 weeks ago

The beeb really thinks it's their job to incompetently push state propaganda talking points apparently. Good for them I guess

[–] Sturgist@lemmy.ca 2 points 3 weeks ago

Por qué no los dos?

[–] jaggedrobotpubes@lemmy.world 4 points 3 weeks ago

Bob Vylan just got a lot more popular, worldwide.

Fuck genocide and everybody, including the BBC, who enables it.