Government Committee Seeks BBC Assessment on Glastonbury Antisemitism Coverage

The BBC has come under government scrutiny after livestreaming the performance of punk rap duo Bob Vylan at Glastonbury Festival, during which they led chants deemed antisemitic, prompting a police investigation and widespread criticism. The Culture, Media and Sport Committee has requested a personal assessment from BBC director-general Tim Davie on what went wrong and whether the broadcaster considered measures such as time delays or cutting the live stream during the controversial performance. The BBC acknowledged the failure, stating it should have cut away from the live stream and will review its guidance on live events to clarify when it is appropriate to continue broadcasting. While the BBC provided on-screen warnings about discriminatory language during the stream and later removed the performance from on-demand access, critics argue that editorial leadership failed to prevent the dissemination of offensive content. The band Bob Vylan defended their actions as speaking out and facing disproportionate targeting. This episode has raised broader questions about live broadcast controls and content moderation at major public events.