Avon and Somerset Police have concluded their criminal investigation into the punk duo Bob Vylan, citing “insufficient evidence” to pursue charges over comments regarding the Israeli military, per pitchfork.com.
The investigation followed the group’s performance at Glastonbury Festival in June, where frontman Bobby Vylan (Pascal Robinson-Foster) led the crowd in a chant of “Death to the IDF.”
In a statement released on Tuesday, December, 23, the force confirmed that the case did not meet the legal threshold for prosecution. “No further action will be taken on the basis there is insufficient evidence for there to be a realistic prospect of conviction,” a spokesperson said.
Following the festival, a senior detective was appointed to lead the inquiry, which was recorded as a public order incident. The police took the following steps before reaching their decision including a voluntary interview of a man in his mid-30s under caution in November, public consultation with officers speaking to approximately 200 members of the public to assess if any criminal offence had been committed as well as legal advice where the force consulted the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the National Police Chiefs’ Council, and an independent barrister.
The CPS noted that while they provided early investigative advice, they were not asked to make a formal charging decision as the police concluded the evidence was lacking.
The incident sparked significant backlash. Glastonbury organisers, the BBC, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the rhetoric, while the duo were dropped by United Talent Agency and saw their US visas revoked.
In their defence, Bob Vylan stated they were not calling for the death of any racial group but were advocating for the “dismantling of a violent military machine.”
The decision has met with mixed reactions. The Community Security Trust, a charity protecting British Jews, called the outcome “incredibly disappointing,” arguing it sends the “wrong message.” Conversely, the police emphasised the importance of balancing the “wider context” and “freedom of speech” during their review.
This marks the second high-profile Glastonbury probe to be dropped this year; an investigation into Irish rap trio Kneecap was similarly closed in July.
