Bobby Vylan Under Investigation After Alleged “Death To The IDF” Chants At London Rally

Police have confirmed they are looking into chants of “death to the IDF” allegedly led by Bob Vylan vocalist Bobby Vylan during a demonstration in London.

According to the BBC, the Metropolitan Police released a statement today (March 15) saying they were “aware of chanting made by a speaker at the Al Quds protest and will be investigating”.

Large crowds gathered in central London on Sunday for a series of stationary demonstrations. Reports said some participants carried Iranian flags while others held signs. The gathering marked Al Quds Day, a yearly pro Palestine event traditionally observed on the last day of Ramadan.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood officially prohibited the Al Quds Day march organised by the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC). The decision followed a request from the Metropolitan Police, who warned there was a significant threat of “serious public disorder” linked to tensions connected to the Middle East.

Clips shared online appeared to show Vylan, whose real name is Pascal Robinson Foster, addressing the crowd before encouraging chants of “death, death to the IDF [Israeli Defence Forces]”.

Police also reported that 12 individuals were taken into custody during the protest and a related counter demonstration. The arrests involved allegations such as supporting a banned organisation, public disorder offences, reckless driving and threatening or abusive conduct.

“We recognise the concern footage and chanting like this causes, particularly with London’s Jewish communities,” the Met added. “When this language had been used previously, we sought advice from the CPS, who determined that there would be insufficient evidence to take a case forward.”

Bob Vylan previously attracted major attention following their appearance on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury 2025, where the frontman also led the crowd in chants of “death, death to the IDF”. That incident triggered a criminal investigation by Avon and Somerset Police, which was later closed in December.

“We have concluded, after reviewing all the evidence, that it does not meet the criminal threshold outlined by the CPS for any person to be prosecuted,” the force said in a statement. “No further action will be taken on the basis there is insufficient evidential for there to be a realistic prospect of conviction.”

During the investigation into those chants, authorities confirmed they carried out “a voluntary police interview under caution” with a man described as being in his mid thirties during November.

Officers also stated they contacted around 200 members of the public to determine whether anyone believed they had been subjected to a criminal act.

The police statement also noted that investigators reviewed previous cases handled by other UK forces involving comparable situations. They also consulted the National Police Chiefs’ Council hate crime specialists, the Crown Prosecution Service and “an independent barrister”.

Responding to the situation, Bobby Vylan argued the investigation was “never warranted”, describing the Glastonbury performance as “evidently not hateful” and instead calling it “a display of solidarity with the Palestinian people”.

The Metropolitan Police also confirmed in November that they would end their separate investigation into a Bob Vylan concert held in May at Alexandra Palace in north London after receiving guidance from the CPS.

Following the Glastonbury controversy, Bob Vylan clarified that they were not encouraging violence toward “the death of Jews or Arabs or any other race or group”. Bobby Vylan also said in October that he felt “not regretful” about what he said at the festival, stating: “I’d do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays. I’m not regretful of it at all.”

In the aftermath of the Glastonbury performance, several international tour dates for Bob Vylan were cancelled and their US visas were withdrawn before a planned American tour. Two scheduled UK performances in Manchester and Leeds were also postponed, with the band saying this happened because of “political pressure” from MPs and Jewish community figures.