State Department revokes visas for Bob Vylan after 'death to the IDF' chant

The Trump administration has revoked U.S. visas for members of punk-rap duo Bob Vylan after the group's inflammatory remarks about Israel during a performance at the U.K.'s Glastonbury Festival over the weekend sparked widespread backlash.

The musical group was scheduled to travel to Boston, New York City and Washington, D.C., for shows this fall, but the performers drew broad rebuke after lead singer Bobby Vylan led concertgoers Saturday in chanting "death, death to the IDF," referring to Israel's military, the Israel Defense Forces.

"The [State Department] has revoked the US visas for the members of the Bob Vylan band in light of their hateful tirade at Glastonbury, including leading the crowd in death chants," Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau wrote Monday on the social platform X. "Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country."

The administration has for months moved to restrict visas for international students and others it has accused of promoting terrorism and antisemitism following Hamas's Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israelis.

Bobby Vylan, who performs with drummer Bobbie Vylan, defended his remarks in an Instagram post Sunday captioned, "I said what I said."

"Teaching our children to speak up for the change they want and need is the only way that we make this world a better place," he wrote in the post. "Let us display to them loudly and visibly the right thing to do when we want change and need change."

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the chants at Glastonbury "appalling hate speech," and the BBC apologized for continuing to livestream the performance after the remarks.