A criminal investigation has been launched over performances by Bob Vylan and Irish rap trio Kneecap at Glastonbury on Saturday, Avon and Somerset Police has said.
The force said it had appointed a senior detective to investigate whether comments made by either act amounted to a criminal offence after reviewing footage.
A statement added: “This has been recorded as a public order incident at this time while our enquiries are at an early stage.”
Speaking in Parliament on Monday after the announcement, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy called the scenes broadcast “appalling and unacceptable”.
Police haven’t specified which part of Bob Vylan’s or Kneecap’s set would be subject to the criminal investigation.
The organisers of Glastonbury have also previously said they were “appalled” by the comments, which “crossed a line”.
On Sunday, Robinson-Foster, lead singer of Bob Vylan responded to the controversy on Instagram, writing “I said what I said” and a statement in defence of political activism.
Both members of Bob Vylan – who were due to embark on a tour of America later this year – have had their US visas revoked.
US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau wrote on X: “Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country.”
In response, Bobby Vylan released a video statement on social media on Monday, where he said politicians should be “utterly ashamed” about where their “allegiances lie”.
“First it was Kneecap, now it’s us two,” he said.
“Regardless of how it was said, calling for an end to the slaughter of innocents is never wrong. To civilians of Israel, understand this anger is not directed at you, and don’t let your government persuade you that a call against an army is a call against the people.
“To Keir, Kemi and the rest of you, I’ll get you at a later date.”
Avon and Somerset Police also confirmed the criminal investigation would assess Kneecap’s Glastonbury performance.
Band member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the name Mo Chara, was charged with a terrorism offence for allegedly displaying the flag of proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah at a gig. He has denied the charge.
