A police investigation into chants made during a Bob Vylan performance at Glastonbury 2025 has concluded that no further action will be taken.
The Glastonbury 2025 set was broadcast live on the BBC and saw Bob Vylan lead the audience in chants of “death, death to the IDF” and “free, free Palestine”.
Following the festival, the performance was subject to a criminal investigation from Avon and Somerset Police. Yesterday (December 23), the investigation was dropped.
“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.”
As part of their enquiries into the chants, police said they conducted “a voluntary police interview under caution” with a man in his mid-30s in November.
Officers said they also spoke to “approximately 200” members of the public to see if they had been the victim of a criminal offence.
The statement added that the force had also sought legal precedents from other UK police forces that have dealt with similar incidents, as well as advice from the National Police Chiefs’ Council hate crime leads, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and “an independent barrister”.
“We sought specific consideration around the words stated, in terms of the intent behind them, the wider context of how people heard what was said, case law and anything else potentially relevant, including freedom of speech,” the statement continued.
“Consistently the advice we have received has highlighted fundamental evidential difficulties that cannot be ignored,” police said. “The comments made on Saturday 28 June drew widespread anger, proving that words have real-world consequences.”
“We believe it is right this matter was comprehensively investigated, every potential criminal offence was thoroughly considered, and we sought all the advice we could to ensure we made an informed decision.”
“We have proactively engaged with a number of groups, particularly among our Jewish communities, since this incident and provided updates to them throughout.”
In response to the decision, the Community Security Trust, a charity that provides protection to Jewish communities in the UK, said: “It is incredibly disappointing that the police and CPS have decided not to charge in this case, particularly when police forces in London and Manchester are adopting a stronger approach to tackling hateful rhetoric.
“It sends completely the wrong message at the worst possible time.”
The Metropolitan police said last month they would close their own investigation into Bob Vylan’s gig in May at Alexandra Palace in north London, after advice from the CPS.
After their Glastonbury set, Bob Vylan had multiple international shows cancelled, and their US visas were revoked ahead of a tour in the country.
Two UK gigs, in Manchester and Leeds, have also been postponed until next year, “due to political pressure” from MPs and Jewish leaders.
In a previous statement, Bob Vylan said they were not calling for “the death of Jews or Arabs or any other race or group” at Glasto.
Frontman Bobby Vylan (Pascal Robinson-Foster) explained in October that he was “not regretful” of his remarks at Glastonbury, adding: “I’d do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays. I’m not regretful of it at all.”
Shortly after their set on the West Holts stage, Glasto organisers said they were “appalled” by Bob Vylan’s “death to IDF” chants.
Earlier this month, Bob Vylan sued RTE over its claims of “Anti-Semitic chants” during the Glastonbury set.
The duo recently released their first new single since the controversy, ‘Sick Sad World’, where they called out Prime Minister Keir Starmer and “the BBC’s lies“. They wrapped up their run of 2025 ‘We Won’t Go Quietly’ UK and Ireland tour dates last week. The aforementioned postponed gigs in Manchester and Leeds will now take place in February.
They have also received an apology and were awarded substantial damages from Manchester Evening News, after the outlet published defamatory claims about a “Nazi salute” occurring at one of their gigs.
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