Bob Vylan have announced they are pursuing legal action against the BBC following the broadcaster's characterisation of their Glastonbury 2025 performance as antisemitic.
The punk duo confirmed the lawsuit in a statement posted to Instagram today, accusing the corporation of unfairly branding them in the wake of their controversial festival appearance last June.
"In the immediate aftermath of our performance at Glastonbury 2025, the BBC wasted no time in placing labels upon us that did not, do not and never will fit," the band wrote.
They also criticised the publicly funded broadcaster for failing to represent the interests of ordinary people, arguing it has "disappointingly continued to prove how little it represents the interests of the people and our access to unbiased news and information."
Bob Vylan sparked outrage with his 'death to IDF' chant | PADuring their set on the West Holts Stage at Worthy Farm, frontman Bobby Vylan encouraged the audience to join in chants of "free, free Palestine" and "death, death to the IDF."
The performance was streamed live by the BBC, which subsequently expressed deep regret over the broadcast.
The corporation described the chants as "antisemitic sentiments" that were "utterly unacceptable," saying the livestream "should have been pulled" while the set was still underway.
In September, the BBC's Executive Complaints Unit partially upheld complaints against the broadcast, determining it had breached editorial guidelines concerning harm and offence.
The duo have announced legal action against the BBC following the fallout from their Glastonbury performance
| GettyHowever, allegations the performance was likely to encourage or incite criminal activity were rejected, and the broadcast was cleared of any impartiality breaches.
Both members of the band have initiated separate legal proceedings in the High Court in Ireland.
Frontman Bobby Vylan, whose real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, and drummer Bobbie Vylan, born Laurence George Wade, are each pursuing individual cases against the broadcaster.
The pair have engaged the services of a Belfast-based solicitor who previously represented Irish hip-hop group Kneecap in their successful legal battle against the UK government regarding a blocked arts grant.
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A BBC spokesperson declined to address the matter directly, telling NME that they "do not intend to comment on ongoing legal proceedings".
The band concluded their statement with the words "Free Palestine and Justice for the Filton 25".
The fallout from the Glastonbury appearance proved severe for the duo, who lost their agent, had their US visas revoked, and were removed from Manchester's Radar Festival, prompting several other acts to withdraw from the event in solidarity.
Avon and Somerset Police initially launched an investigation into the performance but dropped the inquiry in December, citing insufficient evidence to secure a conviction.
The band maintained at the time that the investigation "was never warranted in the first place," describing their set as "a display of solidarity with the Palestinian people" rather than anything hateful.
Bob Vylan say they were unfairly labelled following their appearance at Glastonbury
| PAIn their latest statement, Bob Vylan accused the BBC of attempting "to silence those that oppose the heinous crimes taking place in Palestine," alleging the broadcaster had edited their speeches, removed content, and blocked documentary releases.
GB News has reached out to the BBC for comment.