BBC Announces Immediate Changes After Glastonbury Controversy

The BBC has announced a change in its guidelines in light of the controversy surrounding this year’s Glastonbury broadcast.

Over the weekend, punk rap duo Bob Vylan made headlines when, during their Glastonbury set, they led the crowd in a chant of “death to the IDF”, referring to Israel’s army, which was broadcast live on BBC iPlayer.

On Thursday afternoon, the BBC released a fresh statement, which began: “We fully understand the strength of feeling regarding Bob Vylan’s live appearance at Glastonbury on the BBC.

“We deeply regret that such offensive and deplorable behaviour appeared on the BBC and want to apologise to our viewers and listeners and in particular the Jewish community. We are also unequivocal that there can be no place for antisemitism at, or on, the BBC.

“It is clear that errors were made both in the lead-up to and during Bob Vylan’s appearance. We think it’s important to set out some of the detail around the streaming of this performance.”

The statement went on to outline that Bob Vylan were one of seven acts deemed to have been “high risk” before Glastonbury began broadcasting in a risk assessment process, all of whom were “deemed suitable for live streaming with appropriate mitigations”.

It was also pointed out that during the broadcast of Bob Vylan’s set, two different content warnings appeared on screen, although the BBC said the decision not to cut the feed was an “error”.

“Given the failings that have been acknowledged we are taking actions to ensure proper accountability for those found to be responsible for those failings in the live broadcast,” they said, before outlining “immediate changes to livestreaming music events”.

• Any music performances deemed high risk will now not be broadcast live or streamed live;
• Editorial Policy support will always be available on site at major music festivals and events, to improve compliance processes and the speed of available advice;
• And we will provide more detailed, practical guidance on the threshold for withdrawing a live stream.

Avon and Somerset Police have said they are launching a criminal investigation following performances by both Bob Vylan and Kneecap on Saturday.

Earlier this week, Bob Vylan members Bobby and Bobbie Vylan insisted in a joint statement: “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.”

In reference to the group Palestine Action – which MPs voted on Wednesday to proscribe – and fellow Glastonbury performers Kneecap, the duo continued: “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 they talk about Bob Vylan, the less 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.”