The European Jewish Association (EJA) has urged the Rock Herk Festival in Limburg to cancel a performance by British band Bob Vylan, according to a report from the European Jewish Press (EJP) on Friday.
The request follows controversial statements made by the band during a performance at the Glastonbury festival in the UK.
The hip-hop punk group encouraged the audience to chant slogans such as “Death, death to IDF” and “Free, free Palestine.” In response, British police have launched an investigation, and the BBC condemned the statements, calling them hate speech.
In a letter to the organisers of the Limburg festival, EJA President Rabbi Menachem Margolin expressed concern over hate speech in a dangerous environment for Jews in Europe.
“One is not obliged to support Israel, and can express support for Palestine in a democracy, but this constitutes hate speech, Bob Vylan is inciting violence,” he said.
Rabbi Margolin also noted that antisemitism in Europe, particularly in Belgium, has surged since the 7 October 2023 attacks.
Maarten Ruelens, one of Rock Herk’s organisers, believes the Bob Vylan concert will go ahead for the moment.
“We understand their concerns, but their request doesn’t seem justified at present,” he said. The organisers are in contact with the band and believe they will now only deliver a positive message.
“Our core business is music and freedom of expression,” they added, “As a festival, we strive to be objective and offer musicians a platform to express themselves.”
