Punk musician Bobby Vylan, known for his outspoken views, has accused pro-Israeli lobby groups of attempting to silence him after British Airways withdrew its sponsorship of Louis Theroux’s podcast following Vylan’s appearance. The airline stated that the podcast’s content violated its sponsorship policy, leading to the removal of its advertisements. Vylan, the lead singer of the band Bob Vylan, labeled this action as a “scare tactic” aimed at discouraging others from providing him a platform. He emphasized that his statements during the podcast were clear and untwisted, despite efforts by lobby groups and media outlets to distort them. Earlier this year, Vylan sparked controversy at the Glastonbury Festival by leading a chant calling for “death” to the Israeli Defense Forces, which was live-streamed by the BBC. This incident resulted in the band being dropped from several festivals, including the Radar Festival in Manchester, a German music venue, and the cancellation of their US tour after the State Department revoked their visas. Vylan remains unapologetic, stating that his actions were in solidarity with Palestinians and that the backlash he faces pales in comparison to their struggles. He expressed pride in receiving support from Palestinian friends and individuals affected by the conflict. The podcast episode featuring Vylan was recorded in October, and British Airways has since paused its sponsorship, citing a breach of its policy on politically sensitive content. The airline is investigating how the oversight occurred.
Bob Vylan calls British Airways’ drop of Theroux sponsorship a ‘scare tactic’
