Bands boycott Radar Festival after Bob Vylan dropped by organisers

Artists have pulled out of the Radar Festival in the UK after a decision by the organisers to drop British rock duo Bob Vylan as headliners following their set at Glastonbury last week.

The duo, made up of Bobby Vylan and Bobbie Vylan, gained international attention after they led chants of "Free, free Palestine" and "Death, death to the IDF [Israeli military" at the popular music event.

During their set, a message was also projected onto a screen behind them, reading: "Free Palestine - United Nations have called it a genocide - the BBC calls it a 'conflict'."

The duo drew widespread praise for using their platform to denounce the 21-month Gaza genocide, however were also targeted by pro-Israel figures and groups who accused them of "antisemitism".

The furore from the incident also saw UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and BBC weigh in, levelling similar charges at the band.

The claims have been repeatedly rejected by Bob Vylan, who said they were being targeted for "speaking up" about Israel's genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, which has killed over 57,000 Palestinians, the majority women and children.  

The backlash has since intensified, with the group being dropped from shows in Germany and France, placed under criminal investigation, dropped by agents United Talent Agency (UTA) and had their US visas revoked.  

In the latest development, Manchester-based Radar Festival removed Bob Vylan from its headline line-up, prompting several other acts to withdraw from the event in solidarity with the duo and their pro-Palestine stance. 

Two other acts have since confirmed their withdrawal from the festival in response to Bob Vylan’s removal, including the likes of rock band The Scratch. 

The group issued a statement to fans announcing their decision to pull out of Radar Festival, saying they were showing "solidarity" with their peers. 

"The censorship and de-platforming of artists speaking out against the ongoing genocide in Gaza is greasy, dangerous and must be challenged," they wrote in a Facebook post on Friday.  

"To be clear, this decision is not a criticism of Radar Festival. We understand it was an incredibly difficult and complex situation. This is about showing solidarity with Bob Vylan and any artist who may face similar treatment in the future."

They continued: "Shadowy government influence and wealthy lobbying groups should not be allowed to dictate who is given a platform and what can be said on it."

"This situation will only worsen unless we, as artists, support one another and take action."

Anglo-Maltese indie band ĠENN also released a statement, also announcing that they intend to withdraw from Radar’s lineup, explaining that "as a minority on pretty much every line-up, and with a relatively modest platform, we considered whether we could use our physical presence to speak against the bullying, censorship, and strong-arming demonstrated towards the likes of both Bob Vylan and Radar".

They added: "Our fight should not be focused on the policing of those who are trying to spread awareness within their means. This is a distraction from a wider picture. Pressure needs to be placed on those who are instigating the censorship of a genocide happening in real time."

According to UK music magazine NME, Radar Festival organiser Catherine Jackson-Smith said she did not want to remove Bob Vylan from the line-up but felt "pressured" to do so in order to allow the event to proceed. 

She also told NME that the team considered adding Irish rap group Kneecap to the bill as a replacement, noting the group has also faced criticism recently over their pro-Palestine views. 

Bob Vylan, a duo known for blending grime and punk rock, address topics such as racism, homophobia, and social inequality in their music, while also vocally supporting the Palestinian cause.  

Since last weekend’s Glastonbury festival, the pair have defended their actions, stressing that they are "not for the death of Jews, Arabs or any other race or group of people” but advocate for the "dismantling of a violent military machine".