UK Police Probe ‘Death to the IDF’ Chant by Bob Vylan at Al-Quds Rally

Police in London are investigating chants calling for the death of Israeli soldiers after a pro-Iran Al-Quds Day rally took place Sunday despite a government ban on the event’s traditional march.

The chant, “death, death to the IDF,” was led from the stage by musician Bob Vylan, whose real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, during the demonstration along the River Thames. Footage from the rally showed some members of the crowd joining in.

Vylan previously led the same chant during Bob Vylan’s Glastonbury performance in June 2025, triggering a police investigation and international backlash. The group’s U.S. visas were revoked after the incident, but British police later closed the case without charges.

Authorities had prohibited the annual march through central London after warning that the demonstration could create a serious risk of public disorder amid heightened tensions linked to Iran and the wider Middle East. Instead, participants were permitted to hold a tightly restricted static protest between Vauxhall Bridge and Lambeth Bridge.

The Metropolitan Police said officers are reviewing video of the chanting. “We are aware of chanting made by a speaker at the Al Quds protest and will be investigating,” the force said in a statement. “We recognise the concern footage and chanting like this causes, particularly with London’s Jewish communities.”

Police noted that similar language had been examined previously. “When this language had been used previously we sought advice from the CPS who determined that there would be insufficient evidence to take a case forward,” the statement said.

A spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service said authorities would assess any evidence submitted by police. “Hateful chanting or waving of offensive flags may constitute an offence and where behaviour goes beyond lawful protest we will not hesitate to prosecute,” the spokesperson said.

The restrictions on the rally followed a rare decision by the British government to block the annual Al-Quds Day march. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood approved the measure after police warned the event could lead to disorder.

Officials said the legal threshold required to prohibit a protest is exceptionally high, and such a restriction had not been imposed in London for more than a decade. Demonstrators were still allowed to gather, but only in a static protest area and under strict conditions. Around 1,000 police officers were deployed across the area Sunday to prevent clashes between demonstrators and counter-protesters.

Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan said turnout was significantly lower than police had anticipated. “We saw significantly fewer people attend than we had anticipated,” he said. “This shows our decision to apply for the ban was the right one.”

Police confirmed that 12 arrests were made during the protest and a nearby counter-demonstration, including for suspected support for a proscribed organization, affray and threatening or abusive behavior.

Hundreds of demonstrators began gathering around 1 p.m., many carrying Palestinian flags and banners reading “Free Palestine” and “No to Israeli occupation.” Chants including “from the river to the sea” and “Israel is a terror state” were heard among the crowd, while one protester displayed a sign reading “Boom boom Tel Aviv.” Images of Iran’s late leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were also visible during the rally.

Across the river, counter-protesters organized by the group Stop The Hate waved Israeli flags and held signs condemning Hamas. Police boats patrolled the Thames as authorities used the river itself as a barrier between the two groups, while road closures were placed around nearby bridges.

Al-Quds Day demonstrations are held annually in several cities and were established by Iran’s Islamic regime in 1979. The London rally is typically organized by the Islamic Human Rights Commission and has drawn repeated criticism over anti-Israel rhetoric and perceived links to Tehran. Police said their investigation into the chanting at Sunday’s rally remains ongoing.