Watch: Bob Vylan gig sparks street clashes and arrests in London
Multiple arrests were made after a clash between rival protestors outside Bob Vylan's Kentish Town concert this week.
Tensions flared outside Bob Vylan’s show at the O2 Forum Kentish Town on Tuesday night (11.11.25), as rival protest groups gathered in response to the duo’s political messaging.
The venue, located in Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Holborn and St Pancras constituency, became the focal point for demonstrations led by the Stop The Hate campaign and counter-protesters supporting Palestine.
Police confirmed five arrests following heated exchanges between the two sides. Three individuals were detained under the Public Order Act, while one pro-Palestine protester was arrested over chants referencing the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Another demonstrator from the Stop The Hate group was held on suspicion of common assault.
The protests were sparked by frontman Bobby Vylan’s controversial chant at Glastonbury 2025 — “death, death to the IDF” — which aired live on BBC coverage. Prime Minister Starmer later condemned the statement as hate speech, prompting calls to cancel the London gig. Despite pressure from local campaigners, the show went ahead as scheduled.
Outside the venue, Stop The Hate supporters played tracks like I’m Still Standing by Sir Elton John and Queen’s Another One Bites the Dust in a show of defiance. Signs reading “Stop Jew Hate” and “Met Police Arrest The Vylan” were held up, while pro-Palestine activists across the street waved flags and chanted “Free Palestine”.
Inside, Bobby — real name Pascal Robinson-Foster — addressed the crowd and read out a fan’s poster teasing a return to Glastonbury in 2026. Footage from the gig shows fans repeating the IDF chant, with Bobby holding out his microphone and bandmate Bobbie Vylan responding with a drum beat.
Speaking recently on The Louis Theroux Podcast, Bobby said he had “no regrets” over the Glastonbury moment and would repeat it. He added that any backlash was “minimal compared to what people in Palestine are going through”.
Check out this exclusive footage from our sister site BANG Premier.
