Glastonbury Festival performances by Keane, Corrine Bailey Rae, Bloc Party and Kasabian were marred for some fans by the constant presence of Palestinian flags – and even an inflatable dinghy carrying « asylum seekers ». Political clashes loomed large at the event, prompting one fan to take to Twitter and exclaim: « #Glastonbury festival isn’t being held on stolen land, as far as I’m aware… »
Another fan complained of « flags in front of stages [and] Idles leading pro-Pally chants. » Meanwhile, others argued that the political content was imbalanced, pointing out that there appeared to be no tributes to the hundreds of Israelis who were murdered at a music festival during the terror attacks of October 7.
« I wonder if the Palestinian flag waving people at #Glastonbury 2024 give a thought to the young people massacred at #Nova, » one festival-goer quizzed. Another agreed: « Crazy that people would be allowed to brandish the same flag that was brandished during a festival where people were shot dead. @glastonbury #bbc. »
A third chimed in: « Like pigs to the slaughter. #Glastonbury, they massacred people just like you in #Nova, and you’re waving that flag? » Then a fourth tweeter added: « Hey @glastonbury terrorist supporters, just remember the people you support crowded around the pickup truck carrying the body of Shani Louk who was raped, murdered and her body mutilated then paraded for Palestinians to spit and hit her body #Glastonbury #Glastonbury2024. »
A leaflet-making class held on the premises, allowing those who were protesting for peace to create and distribute their own material, also sparked concern. One music fan lamented that Glastonbury was « no longer a music festival », arguing that there’d been a cultural shift since Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn was invited there, and that it had become a « cult » to « poison minds ».
Another fan made his frustrations clear when he announced: « I think it’s time to boycott #Glastonbury .. full of Hamas loving flags. Absolute disgrace! »
Meanwhile, band the Idles made their feelings about abolishing the monarchy clear when they invited audiences to join them in a chant of « F*** the King » during their set.
Corrine Bailey Rae also turned her set political, when she launched into a passionate speech about beauty ideals, offering her stance on them as a black woman.
Pride flags and Hamas-affiliated flags could be seen in the crowd, while an inflatable dinghy appearing to show asylum-seekers on a boat, which was attributed to Banksy, was passed around.
One astonished viewer accused it of « glorifying » illegal immigration, adding: « The heavily fenced & guarded compound of Glastonbury, surrounded by security, to ensure no one can illegally break in… is celebrating illegal migrants in dinghies, illegally breaking into the UK. You couldn’t make this s*** up! »
Meanwhile, fans called for Somerset Council to revoke Glastonbury’s licence on the grounds that it was « celebrating » terrorism.
Other complaints included references to the sound quality and the acts themselves, with one unamused listener comparing Corrine Bailey Rae’s sax solo to the sounds of a « strangled cat ».
Meanwhile, presenter Jo Whiley also struggled with speech, appearing to have almost lost her voice when she spoke on the televised BBC highlights.
Positive comments posted on social media mainly related to Kasabian, after the rock group’s set went down a storm – and Cyndi Lauper lightened the mood with ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’.
