The rapper of punk duo Bob Vylan will not face charges over chants during the band’s performance at Glastonbury Festival.
Bobby Vylan, whose real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, led the crowd in chanting “death, death to the IDF” during a performance on the West Holts Stage in June.
The comments, referring to the Israeli military, sparked widespread criticism and prompted Avon and Somerset police to open a criminal investigation shortly after the festival.
In a statement released on Tuesday, police ruled the comments did not meet the threshold required for criminal charges under Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) guidelines.
“After assessing all the evidence, we have determined that it does not meet the criminal justice threshold set by the CPS,” police said.
“No further action will be taken on the grounds that there is insufficient evidence to support a realistic prospect of conviction.”
Although no charges will be laid, police have noted the impact of the incident. Police said the comments “caused widespread anger” and showed that “words have real-world consequences.”
The decision comes after a similar case in London, where the Metropolitan Police closed an investigation into another appearance by Bob Vylan in compliance with CPS guidelines.
