Investigation into on-stage comments at Glastonbury Festival concludes

Avon and Somerset Police’s investigation into comments made on stage during a Bob Vylan performance at Glastonbury Festival has concluded.

From the outset of our investigation, we promised our enquiries would be evidence-led and all appropriate legislation would be considered.

As a result, we shared the details of our initial enquiries with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in July and sought legal advice around a number of potential offences. In late-October, the CPS provided us with a detailed explanation of the evidence it considered would be necessary for any person to be criminally prosecuted for a public order offence in relation to this matter.

Our investigation team subsequently carried out the following additional actions to ensure our enquiries were as comprehensive as possible: 

• Conducted a voluntary police interview under caution with a man, in his mid-thirties, in November.

• Having contacted hundreds of people in the early stages of enquiries who initially raised concerns to us around what happened, in November more information was sought from approximately 200 members of the public around their experience to enable consideration of whether they may be a victim of a criminal offence.

• Gained an understanding of any legal precedents by contacting other police forces in the country who have investigated similar incidents.

This has been an incredibly complex case and one where we sought the views of other experienced colleagues, both within Avon and Somerset and another police force, and the National Police Chiefs’ Council hate crime leads, as well as further legal advice from the CPS, and an independent barrister before finalising our investigation. The last of the advice was received yesterday (Monday 22 December).

We sought specific consideration around the words stated, in terms of the intent behind them, the wider context of how people heard what was said, case law and anything else potentially relevant, including freedom of speech. Everycase must be treated on its own merits.

Consistently the advice we have received has highlighted fundamental evidential difficulties that cannot be ignored. We have concluded, after reviewing all the evidence, that it does not meet the criminal threshold outlined by the CPS for any person to be prosecuted. No further action will be taken on the basis there is insufficient evidence for there to be a realistic prospect of conviction.

The man who was interviewed was informed of the investigation outcome earlier today (Tuesday 23 December).

The comments made on Saturday 28 June drew widespread anger, proving that words have real-world consequences. We believe it is right this matter was comprehensively investigated, every potential criminal offence was thoroughly considered, and we sought all the advice we could to ensure we made an informed decision.

Policing’s responsibility in such cases is to work with the wider criminal justice system to determine if an offence has been committed, based on the law as it stands. Simply because there is a high threshold for criminal conviction should in no way minimise the concerns raised by many sectors of society around the nature of the comments made.

We have proactively engaged with a number of groups, particularly among our Jewish communities, since this incident and provided updates to them throughout. This has always been a priority for us and has continued today around the communication of this investigative outcome. We hugely value having that open dialogue, enabling us to provide any reassurance or support necessary.

We are committed to working positively with all our communities across Avon and Somerset in relation any matters that may arise in the future, because there is no place in society for hate of any kind.