Bob Vylan meet Irish politicians at Leinster House

Bob Vylan visited Leinster House yesterday ahead of their Vicar Street performance.

The punk-rap duo, invited by Sinn Féin TD Eoin Ó Broin, met with a group of pro-Palestinian TDs and Senators, including Richard Boyd Barrett, Paul Murphy, Frances Black, Patricia Stephenson and Ruth Coppinger.

Representatives from Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Regional Independents were not invited to the meeting, The Journal reports.

Bob Vylan have faced a wave of controversy following their June Glastonbury set, where they lead a “death, death to the IDF" chant in reference to the Israel Defence Forces. The chant lead to a criminal investigation by the Avon and Somerset Police into both the video and audio of Bob Vylan's performance.

The English duo's Glastonbury show was broadcast live on the BBC, however, it has since been removed from streaming services. After the BBC was met with backlash they announced they would no longer broadcast or livestream performances deemed "high risk".

"Culture and music must be supported because it has an unmatched potential to shape our politics and hit at the core of our political establishment which Bob Vylan has proven again and again," said Boyd Barrett, via an Instagram post, after his discussion with the musicians.

The rap group had their U.S. visas revoked in June and, in July, efforts were made by The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, a pro-Israel advocacy organisation, to ban the artists from Canada.

In September, a scheduled show in the Netherlands was cancelled after frontman Bobby Vylan's remarks on the murder of right-wing American political commentator Charlie Kirk.

“That comes with challenges, and I think it’s important that they hear from people like us that what they do is really important, that it has a resonance,” said Ó Broin to The Journal, speaking on the band's activism against the Israeli government.

Coincidently, the meeting coincided with a pro-Palestine protest outside of the building. The band were met with applause as they exited Leinster House.

"We have been shunned by lots of politicians at home but welcomed by many in Ireland who share our passion for equal rights, freedom for all and liberation for the Palestinian people," said the band on Instagram.

Last month, Vylan appeared on Louis Theroux’s podcast, discussing the Glastonbury controversy. Following the episode, British Airways paused its sponsorship of the show.

Stay tuned to hotpress.com for our live report of Bob Vylan at Vicar Street, coming soon.

• See Boyd Barrett's post below.

 

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