The BBC has said it “should have pulled” its coverage of punk duo Bob Vylan’s “death to the IDF” chant at Glastonbury on Saturday.
After days of backlash against the performance and its broadcast, the BBC said it contained “utterly unacceptable” and “antisemitic sentiments”.
“Millions of people tuned in to enjoy Glastonbury this weekend across the BBC’s output but one performance within our live streams included comments that were deeply offensive,” the corporation said.
It added: “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.”
It came after media watchdog Ofcom demanded answers from the BBC about how the comments were allowed to be broadcast on Saturday.
Avon and Somerset Police have confirmed they are assessing videos of both Bob Vylan and Kneecap’s performances at the festival.
Rapper Bobby Vylan, the Bob Vylan duo, led crowds on Glastonbury’s West Holts Stage in chants of “free, free Palestine” and “death, death to the IDF”. Meanwhile a member of the Irish rap trio urging fans to “start a riot” outside his bandmate’s upcoming court appearance.
The BBC said: “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 set will not be available on iPlayer and the BBC committed to reviewing its coverage of live events.
Ofcom meanwhile said the broadcaster has “questions to answer” over its decision to carry the chant during the group’s performance on Saturday.
A spokesman for the watchdog said that while it had not yet launched an official investigation into the incident, it was demanding answers from the corporation on how the group’s remarks were broadcast.
“We are very concerned about the live stream of this performance, and the BBC clearly has questions to answer.
“We have been speaking to the BBC over the weekend and we are obtaining further information as a matter of urgency, including what procedures were in place to ensure compliance with its own editorial guidelines”, they said.
Sir Keir Starmer demanded an explanation from the BBC, with the prime minister describing the chants as “appalling”.
And the government confirmed culture secretary Lisa Nandy has also spoken to the corporation’s director general Tim Davie about the performance.
A Downing Street spokesperson said she expects to be updated in a “timely fashion” after asking for an “urgent explanation about what due diligence it carried out ahead of the Bob Vylan performance”.
“We strongly condemn the threatening comments made by Bob Vylan at Glastonbury. The prime minister has been clear that any performance making threats and inciting violence should not be given a platform”, the prime minister’s official spokesperson said on Monday.
In a post on social media, Avon and Somerset Police said: “We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon.
“Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation.”
Kneecap’s performance was not broadcast by the BBC, but during the show, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the name Mo Chara, said they would “start a riot outside the courts” during a hearing for his bandmate Naoise Ó Cairealláin, who performs under the name Móglaí Bap.
He then clarified: “No riots just love and support, and support for Palestine.”
In the run-up to the festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset, several politicians called for Kneecap to be removed from the line-up and Sir Keir said their performance would not be “appropriate”.
Bobby Vylan shared a statement responding to the backlash against the chant, defending his remarks and calling for “a change in foreign policy”. “I said what I said,” he added.
