Bob Vylan Sings To Charlie Kirk: "Your Pronouns are was / were” | WATCH
British punk rap group Bob Vylan's Amsterdam concert has drawn attention for political statements and increased security following vandalism at Paradiso venue and controversial remarks.
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A sold-out concert by the British punk rap group Bob Vylan at Amsterdam’s Paradiso venue had it's performance defined by political defiance and an atmosphere of heightened tension. Just a few days after Charlie Kirk's murder, the group "dedicated" a song to the political activist, adressing to him in extreme bad words. With a Palestinian flag draped prominently on the stage, the band’s set followed a night of exterior vandalism and was held under beefed-up security.
The building’s façade was defaced with graffiti and spilled paint overnight by vandals who a police officer said left behind an "anti racism message." Security measures for the show were significantly increased, with a visible police presence, metal barriers, and extensive checks of bags and jackets at the entrance. In a statement to ticket holders, Paradiso acknowledged the band's controversial reputation, stating, “activism is inseparably linked to Bob Vylan.”
Lead vocalist Bobby Vylan (Pascal Robinson-Foster) was unapologetic and confrontational from the moment he stepped on stage, defiantly asking the crowd “if there were any snipers in the room.” The frontman didn't shy away from politics, dedicating a song to the recently assassinated American activist Charlie Kirk, and quipping that “his pronouns are now was/were.”
The core of the show’s political firestorm came as Bobby Vylan defiantly led the crowd in three chants of “death, death to the IDF!” and repeatedly called for the liberation of Palestine. He was also eager to make it clear the band is not anti-Jewish.
“We’re not hateful, we’re not anti-Semites, we’re anti-Zionist,” he said. “We are anti-oppression, we are anti-fascist.”
The show followed a summer of controversy for the band, including an investigation by British police into remarks made at the Glastonbury Festival. The U.S. State Department later announced the cancellation of the band’s visas.
Israeli Ambassador to the Netherlands Zvi Vapni criticized the event, stating that it represents "freedom of hate" rather than free speech, and referenced past anti-Israel riots in Amsterdam, while Dutch politician Caroline van der Plas called the comments a "call for violence." Others, including media watchdog HonestReporting, noted the overlap between anti-Israel rhetoric and celebration of Kirk's death.