As antisemitism in the United Kingdom reaches record levels, with 3,528 incidents reported in 2024 alone, Jewish communities across the country are expressing growing alarm over the escalating threat to their safety and sense of belonging. The situation has come to a head with the recent performance by British rap-pop duo Bob Vylan at the Glastonbury Festival, where the artist chanted ‘Death, death to the IDF,’ a call that was openly broadcast on live British public television. Jewish leaders and activists are now demanding accountability from both the BBC and the British government for their role in allowing such hate speech to reach millions of viewers.
David Collier, an independent investigative journalist who tracks antisemitism within anti-Zionist movements, has criticized the BBC for its failure to intervene during the performance. He argues that the broadcaster’s live coverage of the event has contributed to the normalization of antisemitic rhetoric, with the audience chanting along and showing no signs of discomfort. According to Collier, ‘The end product was a team effort that shows just how blind mainstream U.K. has become to a genocidal antisemitic ideology.’ This sentiment has been echoed by many Jewish community leaders, who feel that the government has not adequately addressed the growing crisis of antisemitism.
The Community Security Trust, an organization dedicated to monitoring anti-Jewish incidents, reports that attacks against Jews have surged dramatically, with over 4,296 incidents recorded in 2023 and 3,528 in 2024 – the highest numbers ever seen in the country. A recent survey by the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAM), published in early 2025, reveals that only 34% of British Jews believe the community has a long-term future in the U.K. Additionally, up to half of respondents stated that they have considered leaving the country due to antisemitism. The survey also found that 43% of British Jews do not feel welcome in the U.K., with the majority saying they need to hide their Jewish identity to avoid harassment or violence.
Furthermore, 92% of respondents indicated that they believe the media’s bias against Israel is fueling the persecution of Jews in Britain, with the BBC being cited as the most biased outlet. This perception of media bias has only deepened concerns within the Jewish community, as they feel their voices are sidelined in the public discourse. Sacha Roytman, CEO of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, has called for an immediate response from the British government and the BBC to address the situation. He states that ‘Incitement to violence should be a red line which forces the British government and the BBC to take all measures possible against these artists and make sure they do not have such a platform to spew their hate and violence ever again.’ This sentiment has been shared by many within the Jewish community, who feel that the authorities are failing to protect them from the rising tide of antisemitism.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has belatedly condemned the performance, issuing a statement that ‘there is no excuse for this kind of appalling hate speech.’ He has asked the BBC to explain how such scenes could be allowed to be broadcast. Danny Cohen, a former BBC director, has also called on the government to take stronger action, criticizing the BBC for its repeated failures in addressing antisemitism. The BBC has since acknowledged its responsibility, stating that it ‘should have pulled’ the livestream and that the performance contained ‘utterly unacceptable’ and ‘antisemitic sentiments.’ However, Jewish leaders and activists remain unconvinced, believing that the broadcaster has failed to take meaningful steps to protect the Jewish community from the dangers of antisemitism.
The controversy has also sparked a broader debate about the role of the media in shaping public opinion and the responsibilities of institutions like the BBC to uphold neutrality in their reporting. Nicole Lampert, a U.K.-based journalist and activist against antisemitism, has highlighted the BBC’s alleged failure to maintain neutrality in its coverage of Middle Eastern conflicts. She argues that the media has largely failed to provide a balanced perspective, contributing to the marginalization of Jewish voices and the normalization of antisemitic rhetoric. This has led to a sense of despair among many British Jews, who feel that their communities are being increasingly targeted and that the government is not doing enough to protect them from the rising tide of hate.
The situation has escalated further with the involvement of Israeli officials, including Minister for Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikli, who has urged British Jews to consider leaving the country. He has criticized the BBC for its long history of bias against Israel and has stated that ‘when such incitement is normalized, those who fail to act, those who do nothing to stop it, bear responsibility for the blood of Jews and Israelis living in Britain.’ This has only intensified the pressure on the UK government and the BBC to take decisive action against antisemitism and to ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future. The Jewish community is now demanding not just symbolic gestures but concrete measures to safeguard their safety and ensure that their voices are heard in the public discourse.