British police on Sunday said they’re “aware” of “Death to the IDF” chants in London at an annual anti-Israel rally that was originally established by the Iranian regime, but that indictments depend on prosecutors.
The Crown Prosecution Service declined to say whether it would act on the chants.
Pascal Robinson-Foster, a musician whose stage name is Bobby Vylan and is part of the Bob Vylan duo, led the chants at a rally in central London for al-Quds Day. Police arrested 12 people there for disruptive behavior or displaying symbols of a proscribed terrorist entity.
The event was launched by Iran and popularized internationally to express support for the Palestinians and oppose Zionism and Israel’s existence. Al-Quds is the Arabic name for Jerusalem. The event is held at the end of Ramadan.
Organizers in London sought a permit to march through the city but police allowed them to hold a static rally instead.
In a post on X, the Metropolitan Police wrote: “We are aware of chanting made by a speaker at the Al Quds protest and will be investigating.” A spokesperson added: “We recognise the concern footage and chanting like this causes, particularly with London’s Jewish communities.”
The spokesperson said: “When this language had been used previously we sought advice from the CPS [Crown Prosecution Service] who determined that there would be insufficient evidence to take a case forward.”
No criminal charges were brought against Robinson-Foster after he led “Death to the IDF” chants at the Glastonbury music festival in June 2025. The chants prompted several criminal complaints.
James Marlow, a political analyst and former head of the U.K. National Jewish Assembly, criticized prosecutors for failing to address the “Death the IDF” chant, which many British Jews interpret as a call to murder Israelis and Jews.
“It’s ONLY a call to violence and hate crime, but who cares as it’s just against the Jews,” Marlow wrote on X, telling the Crown Prosecution Service: “Do your job.”
Queried by JNS, a spokesperson for the CPS wrote in an email: “We carefully consider each case referred to us for charging decision or early advice to see whether it can be taken to court.”
Where the evidence is insufficient, the CPS works “with police to identify what more can be done,” the spokesperson said. “Hateful chanting or waving of offensive flags may constitute an offence and where behavior goes beyond lawful protest we will not hesitate to prosecute.”
