Last summer, as the death toll in Gaza climbed above 50,000, punk group Bob Vylan provoked a media storm by chanting “death, death to the IDF” at Glastonbury festival.
The scene was broadcast live on the BBC and quickly racked up millions of views online.
Shortly after, Avon and Somerset police launched an investigation into the group with reference to Article 5 of the Public Order Act, carrying a maximum fine of £1,000.
That force “contacted hundreds of people” and “conducted a voluntary police interview” but closed the investigation in December, saying there was “insufficient” evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction.
Frontman Pascal Robinson-Foster, also known as Bobby Vylan, subsequently told documentary-maker Louis Theroux he was “not regretful” and would “do it again tomorrow”.
He led the same chant at a protest marking Al Quds day in London last week.
Last week, the Metropolitan police said they are “investigating” the incident, despite the outcome of the previous investigation.
Declassified has now seen internal Metropolitan police guidance which aims to clarify for officers how “death to the IDF” chants should be dealt with.
It states that being an IDF soldier should not be considered a protected characteristic – in part because many Britons are serving for Israel.
The information raises concerns about how pressure groups might be attempting to politicise policing in Britain in order to protect the interests and reputation of a foreign army.
Robinson-Foster told Declassified: “It’s shocking to see the extent the British government and their police forces will go to protect the interests of Israel, a foreign government that is committing genocide.
“After British nationals arrive back in the UK after serving an army known for committing war crimes, they are free to live out their days peacefully with no investigations into potential complicity in war crimes in Gaza.
“Whilst other British citizens including doctors, musicians, students and pensioners are repeatedly investigated and harassed for opposing those war crimes”.
The guidance
The document, obtained through a Freedom of Information request and published on WhatDoTheyKnow, was authored by the Metropolitan police and dated December 2025.
It noted that the IDF “is made up not only from a diverse cross-section of Israel, but from recruits worldwide (including the UK)”.
Declassified recently revealed that more than 2,000 Britons were among over 50,000 foreign nationals to have served in the IDF amid the Gaza genocide.
In light of its diverse membership, the guidance said the IDF is “not a racial group for the purpose of the criminal law” and being a member is therefore not a protected characteristic.
This position was echoed by Jonathan Hall, the UK’s independent reviewer of terrorism legislation.
Last year, he said: “It’s quite hard to show off the back of saying ‘Death to the IDF’ that he [Robinson-Foster] intended people in the audience to hate Jews”.
The police guidance further noted that words “likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress” must be voiced “within sight and hearing of someone likely to be caused” distress.
For instance, it said, “there is a big difference between someone who has voluntarily attended an event… and someone who by chance overhears the words in a public space”.
In other words, chanting a controversial slogan at an event that people have chosen to attend is quite different to chanting it at passerbys in the street.
The document is reproduced at the foot of this article.
Cancelled events
Further FOI documents obtained by Declassified raise concerns about how Bob Vylan concerts may have been disrupted due to political pressure from Whitehall.
Last October, the punk group cancelled two shows in Manchester and Leeds, blaming “political pressure” from education secretary Bridget Phillipson.
Phillipson, a recipient of funding from the pro-Israel lobby, had declared that universities have the powers to “take action to prevent harassment and intimidation” ahead of the gigs.
Declassified asked the department for education for all of its correspondence with Manchester Academy and the University of Manchester regarding Bob Vylan’s show in the city.
It confirmed that correspondence exists but refused to release any information, saying it would prejudice the department’s ability to offer “free and frank” advice in the future.
The decision not to release the information had been taken by “a minister” who, “in her reasonable opinion”, concluded disclosure would have such a “prejudicial effect”.
The department subsequently acknowledged that the minister who blocked the release of the information was Baroness Jacqui Smith.
She had previously called Bob Vylan’s set at Glastonbury “appalling”, saying it “completely overstepped the mark”, and defended UK prime minister Keir Starmer after he claimed Israel had the “right” to cut off water and power to Gaza.
A similar FOI request issued to the University of Manchester – for correspondence with the Department for Education – was refused.
While acknowledging that Britons serve in the IDF, the British police are yet to issue any arrest warrants for potential involvement in war crimes.
Declassified is publishing the guidance here (see page 39):