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British police said on Tuesday they would take no further action over comments made about the Israeli military during punk duo Bob Whelan's performance at the Glastonbury music festival in June.
“After reviewing all the evidence, we came to the conclusion that it does not meet the criminal threshold established by Rospotrebnadzor. [Crown Prosecution Service] to ensure that any person is brought to justice,” Avon and Somerset Police said.
Bob Whelan's performance included lead singer Bobby Whelan chanting the phrase “death, death to the IDF” on stage, a reference to the IDF's fighting in the Gaza Strip.
Police say there is not enough evidence to support a realistic prospect of conviction.
Police said they interviewed a man in his 30s and contacted around 200 members of the public as part of the investigation.
The comments on stage drew widespread criticism, including from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who called the chant “horrific hate speech”, and the Israeli embassy in London. The BBC, the British public broadcaster, is also facing problems Reaction for not stopping the live broadcast performance.
Intent, broader context taken into account
After performing earlier this year, Bobby Whelan posted on social networks that he was overwhelmed by “support and hatred” for this chant.
“Teaching our children to speak up for the changes they want and need is the only way to make this world a better place,” he said.
In a statement on Tuesday, Avon and Somerset Police said it had considered the meaning of the words, the wider context, case law and freedom of speech issues before concluding its investigation.
“We believe it is right that this matter was fully investigated, every potential criminal offense was carefully considered, and we sought all possible advice to make an informed decision,” the statement said.
“The comments made on Saturday June 28 sparked widespread outrage, proving that words have real consequences,” the statement said, adding that the force engaged with Jewish community groups throughout the process.
Earlier this year, British police said comments by Bob Whelan and Irish band Kneecap at a festival would be the subject of a criminal investigation.
A Kneecap member was previously charged with terrorism for allegedly displaying the flag of the militant group Hezbollah. thrown out in SeptemberAnd one member of the group was banned from entering Canada earlier this year after an MP first said the entire group was banned from entry.
