Reuters
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British police announced on Tuesday that no further action would be taken against punk duo Bob Villain over comments he made about the Israeli military during a performance at the Glastonbury music festival in June.
Avon and Somerset Police said: “Having considered all the evidence, we have concluded that this incident does not meet the criminal criteria set by the CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) for any person to be prosecuted.”
Bob Vailan’s performance included lead singer Bobby Vailan shouting “Death to the Israel Defense Forces, death to the Israel Defense Forces” on stage, in reference to the Israel Defense Forces, which were heavily involved in the fighting in Gaza.
Police said there was insufficient evidence to create a realistic prospect of a conviction.
The force said it interviewed a man in his mid-30s and made contact with around 200 members of the public during the investigation.
The comments on stage drew widespread criticism, including from Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Israeli embassy in London. Britain’s public broadcaster, the BBC, also faced backlash for not halting live streaming of performances.
Avon and Somerset police said in a statement on Tuesday that they considered the intent behind the words, the broader context, case law and free speech issues before closing their investigation.
“We believe it was right that this matter be comprehensively investigated, that all potential criminal offenses were thoroughly considered, and that we sought all possible advice to ensure that we made an informed decision,” the statement said.
“The comments made on Saturday June 28 caused widespread outrage and demonstrated that words have real-world effects,” the statement said, adding that the force had engaged with Jewish community groups throughout the process.
