UK Music Festival Gets Compared to a Modern-Day Hitler Youth Rally [WATCH]

Performances at this year’s Glastonbury Festival have drawn sharp criticism after multiple music acts used their stage time to lead crowds in chants supporting designated terrorist groups and promoting anti-Israel slogans.

The controversy has intensified international scrutiny of political messaging at public events and prompted calls for accountability.

On Saturday, Irish hip-hop group Kneecap performed before a crowd of tens of thousands and led chants of “Free Palestine” and “F**k Keir Starmer.”

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The chant targeting the UK Prime Minister came after Starmer said he did not believe it was appropriate for the group to perform at the event, given one member’s legal issues involving terrorism charges.

Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the name Mo Chara, is currently facing charges under the UK’s Terrorism Act.

Authorities allege he waved a Hezbollah flag and shouted “up Hamas, up Hezbollah” at a concert in London in November 2023.

Both Hamas and Hezbollah are proscribed terrorist organizations under UK law.

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Before Kneecap took the stage, the London-based rap-punk duo Bob Vylan led the crowd in chants of “Death, death to the IDF,” referring to the Israel Defense Forces.

During the performance, Bobby Vylan, the group’s lead vocalist, told the audience, “From the river to the sea, Palestine must be, will be, free,” a slogan widely viewed as rejecting the existence of the State of Israel.

Glastonbury has become the modern day equivalent of a Hitler Youth rally. https://t.co/p5khH2SpbN

— Nile Gardiner (@NileGardiner) June 28, 2025

The duo also displayed a large stage backdrop that read: “Free Palestine. United Nations have called it a genocide. The BBC calls it a ‘conflict.’”

The set included additional anti-Israel remarks, including a story by Bobby Vylan criticizing his former record label manager, whom he described as a Zionist.

“We have done it all, from working in bars to working for f**king Zionists,” he said, prompting boos from the crowd.

Reaction to the performances has been swift, with both journalists and public commentators expressing concern over the normalization of incendiary rhetoric.

Lucy Brown, a reporter with experience at Vogue, Vice, ITV, and Rolling Stone, posted on X, “In all my years skirting the fringes of right-wing groups, I’ve never once been at a meeting or rally where a crowd openly chanted death to anyone, let alone thousands screaming it in unison.”

It gets worse. Oh boy oh boy pic.twitter.com/bYHbi9lo8b

— Lucy Brown (@lucymarionbrown) June 28, 2025

Brianna Wu, a political activist and software engineer, also posted criticism online, stating, “This is literally a Nazi rally live on BBC News, literally calling for the slaughter of Jews.”

This is literally a Nazi rally live on the @BBCNews, literally calling for the slaughter of Jews.

How the fuck did we get here? pic.twitter.com/2Xio2a7V9e

— Brianna Wu (@BriannaWu) June 29, 2025

The controversy surrounding Kneecap’s appearance has also reignited debate within the UK over public funding and platforming of artists with open affiliations or sympathies toward designated terror groups.

While Glastonbury Festival is a privately operated event, it has received significant cultural recognition and media coverage, including live broadcasts from the BBC.

The UK government has not released a formal statement regarding the weekend’s events.

However, law enforcement authorities have confirmed that the charges against Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh are active and are being prosecuted under the Terrorism Act.

Both Kneecap and Bob Vylan remain active on social media, where they have continued to promote pro-Palestinian messaging and defend their remarks as political expression.

No comment has been issued by Glastonbury Festival organizers regarding the backlash.

The developments have led to wider calls for public accountability and a reevaluation of acceptable conduct at large-scale music festivals, particularly when rhetoric crosses into territory associated with hate speech or incitement.

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