Bob Vylan will one day be shocked that they were on wrong side of history at Glastonbury

The last two years have witnessed a shocking explosion of antisemitism in the UK. The orgy of racism on our streets, at our universities and in online spaces has shocked British Jews and left many questioning whether they have a future in this country. But a dangerous line was crossed at the weekend, one that will not be easily forgotten or forgiven. The radical rapper Bobby Vylan (real name Pascal Robinson-Foster), a relative unknown until two days ago, appeared on stage in front of a screen that read "Free Palestine: United Nations have called it a genocide.

The BBC calls it a 'conflict'". In front of a live audience, and with BBC cameras at the ready, he issued the blood-curdling scream "Death, death, to the IDF" repeatedly, before the chant was taken up by the large crowd in front of him. Let's be clear: this was not a 'criticism of the Israeli army' or a political statement of sympathy for Palestinians in Gaza.

This was a calculated and frenzied call to murder Israelis who serve in their country's army (as the vast majority do), a call that was then amplified by thousands of adoring fans in a manner worthy of a far-right rally.

The irony that a performer can call for the annihilation of people from another nation while purporting to object to genocide will clearly be lost on many.

What is inexplicable is that BBC cameras, which seem to instantly cut a live feed if a stripper invades a football pitch, let the cameras roll as this hateful episode was continuing. BBC executives now have some urgent questions to answer about why this happened.

Glastonbury prides itself on inclusion, peace and harmony. But for any Israelis and Jews present, this vile performance was more akin to a macabre carnival of hatred and prejudice, a re-awakening of the nightmare visited upon innocents on October 7.

To hear mass crowds calling for your death must have felt like being at a Nazi rally, even if this was modern Britain and not 1930s Germany.

On Sunday, Glastonbury's organisers issued a statement which condemned Mr Robinson-Foster, saying it was "appalled" by his words and that there was "no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence".

Yet given the timing, this now appears more like a PR exercise designed for damage limitation rather than an expression of genuine contrition. In any case, if they really oppose terrorism, why did Glastonbury not honour the victims of the Nova festival on October 7?

With over 350 victims, the Nova massacre was the worst mass killing at any music festival, far surpassing the Bataclan slaughter and the Las Vegas concert massacre. Yet for Glastonbury, Israeli music lovers do not count. Thus, June 28 2025 will go down as yet another example of grotesque intolerance faced by British Jews in the last two years.

But antisemitism is not just a threat to British Jews; it is a threat to all of us. What it demonstrates is that there are people in this country who reject British values of tolerance and co-existence and who are seduced by the violence of Islamism instead. Indeed, these people are ready to embrace the worst enemies of the UK.

Thus, on the weekly anti-Israel marches that have disfigured our streets for 21 months, one can hear chants supporting the Houthi rebels.

In January 2024, the day after Britain and the US struck Houthi targets in response to the group's attacks on Red Sea shipping, protesters could be heard shouting: "Yemen, Yemen make us proud, turn another ship around." Others held placards that offered support for Yemen and which condemned the US and UK governments.

In the same vein are those who stood in London a month ago with an image of Ali Khamenei, proclaiming that by supporting this dictator, they were "on the right side of history".

Unless the right side of history means supporting religious fanaticism, hostage-taking, the oppression of women and the persecution of gays, they are severely delusional. British officials have also made it clear that Iran was behind the targeting of British troops in Iraq after it gave support to the Shia 'Mahdi army'.

Palestine Action have made their contempt for Britain all too clear, after carrying out the vandalism of two RAF aircraft at Brize Norton, attacking a defence factory in Glasgow that caused over £1 million of damage and other criminal incidents. Nor do groups like this have any respect for the wardead, as evidenced by protesters trying to hijack Armistice Day commemorations last year.

The anti-Israel movement is fast becoming a threat to British political life too. In November 2023, the office of shadow Welsh secretary, Jo Stevens, was daubed with red paint by protesters.

She claimed that posters which said she had blood on her hands were "designed to cause fear and harassment". Mike Freer, former MP for Finchley and Golders Green, was forced out of politics following relentless attacks by antisemites on social media and after an arson attack on his constituency office.

In 2024, Yvette Cooper decried the intimidation, abuse and harassment of candidates and volunteers in that year's election, especially in "pro-Palestinian areas".

Of course, the infamous anti-Zionist band Kneecap have indulged quite freely in the same obnoxious rhetoric after it emerged that they had gone on stage proclaiming that "the only good Tory is a dead Tory" and exhorting followers to "kill your local MP".

The murders of Jo Cox and Sir David Amess ought to remind us about the often febrile atmosphere in our politics and the potential harm faced by MPs if this is left unchecked.

Of course, it is legitimate to share concern for the Palestinians and hope they can rebuild their lives in Gaza. But the anti-Israel movement is a different beast. Its followers scream with blood-curdling zest their deep opposition to the West, their shame at Britain and their romantic attachment to jihadism.

Yet terror organisations like Hamas, Hezbollah and ISIS are not keffiyeh-clad romantic rebels. They are part of a worldwide Islamist movement that breathes contempt for western freedoms and for the secularism, sexual liberalism and religious tolerance that we take for granted.

They have committed countless atrocities across the west and, given half a chance, would happily slaughter innocents at Glastonbury in a repeat of October 7.

Calling for death to Israelis is not just morally repulsive and criminal; it is a despicable folly which embraces the very people who want us dead.

Dr Jeremy Havardi is a historian and journalist based in London. He is currently director of advocacy at the human rights organisation B'nai B'rith UK