Ofcom is seeking information from the BBC on how punk duo Bob Vylan’s “death to the IDF” chant at Glastonbury was broadcast.
The watchdog said the broadcaster has “questions to answer” over its decision to carry the chant during the group’s performance on Saturday.
It comes after Avon and Somerset Police confirmed they are assessing videos of Bob Vylan and Kneecap’s performances at the festival, with a member of the Irish rap trio urging fans to “start a riot” outside his bandmate’s upcoming court appearance.
An Ofcom spokesperson 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.
The watchdog added in a statement said: “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.” The government confirmed culture secretary Lisa Nandy has also spoken to BBC director general Tim Davie about the performance.
She asked for an “urgent explanation about what due diligence it carried out ahead of the Bob Vylan performance, and welcomes the decision not to re-broadcast it on BBC iPlayer”. A spokesman said: “We strongly condemn the threatening comments made by Bob Vylan at Glastonbury.
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”.
The BBC condemned the chant as “deeply offensive” and pointed to its decision to play an on-screen warning about the language. It has since said it “should have pulled” the live stream of Bob Vylan’s performance, adding that it contained “utterly unacceptable” and “antisemitic sentiments”.
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.”
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