Bob Vylan sue Irish broadcaster RTÉ for defamation over Glastonbury set
Bob Vylan are attempting to sue the Irish broadcaster RTÉ for defamation over their coverage of the band’s set at Glastonbury Festival.
The case was launched on December 8th at the High Court, which is seeking damages from an RTÉ report that allegedly claimed the band led “anti-Semitic chants” during their appearance at the festival this summer.
Bob Vylan attracted controversy in the aftermath of Glastonbury, where they shouted “death, death to the IDF”, referencing the Israeli Defence Forces. A police investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
However, the Belfast firm Phoenix Law has now brought the case against the broadcaster on behalf of the band members Pascal Robinson-Foster and Wade Laurence George, who typically pass under the pseudonyms Bobby Vylan and Bobbie Vylan.
They have filed two sets of defamation claims, saying the allegations of anti-Semitism are categorically untrue and damaging to their reputation.
According to The Irish Times, the band’s lawyers said in a statement: “Our clients are no stranger to utilising their freedom of expression to speak out against the genocide in Gaza. There is however a fundamental distinction between speaking critically about the role of the Israeli state forces, and being anti-Semitic.”
Phoenix Law continued: “The former is speech within the confines of political expression, whereas the latter is a form of hatred directed towards Jewish people.”
It concluded its statement by adding: “At no stage have our clients ever engaged in conduct that is remotely anti-Semitic and to that end, have had no option but to seek the formal correction of same via the remedies available within this litigation.”
RTÉ responded to Far Out’s request for comment by saying it “does not comment on legal matters”.
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