Posters expressing opposition to "Jew hate" and to tonight’s planned Bob Vylan gig in Kentish Town, north-west London, have appeared in the area.
Walls, lampposts and other street furniture have been plastered with posters with messages reading: "NO2 Jew hate” – a reference to the venue hosting the gig, the O2 Forum Kentish Town.
The rap duo gained immediate notoriety in June when, during a performance at Glastonbury Festival broadcast on the BBC, frontman Pascal Robinson-Foster led the crowd in a chant calling for “death to the IDF”.
Robinson-Foster, who goes by the stage name Bobby Vylan, attracted widespread accusations of antisemitism – which he has repeatedly denied – following the set, during which he also ranted about a former boss labelling them a “f***ing Zionist”.
Many locals have objected to the gig and have called on Camden Council, the venue and the Prime Minister to call it off.
Last week the leader of Camden Council said that he had no power to stop controversial act from performing in his borough, but that he had written to the police and the venue due to host the group next week, asking what measures are in place “to keep our residents safe.”
Councillor Richard Olszewski told residents: “The chants made by this performer at recent events were completely unacceptable and they have cast a long shadow. Whilst I cannot prevent an artist from performing at a privately owned venue, I have raised our shared concerns with the police and the venue.”
Sir Keir Starmer was accused of ignoring a letter-writing campaign organised by campaign group Stop the Hate asking him to intervene.
Meanwhile other posters have appeared in the area reading: “Zionist-free zone” and “Camden loves Bob Vylan. Camden hates racists.”
Stop the Hate plans to stage a protest outside the venue tonight to express opposition to the gig.
"We call on the entire community to join us and make it clear that this will not pass,” a spokesman for the group said.
Academy Music Group’s “platforming” of the act “is a sad indictment of the moral state of the music industry”, he added.
Academy Music Group, which operates the O2 Forum Kentish Town, did not respond to requests for comment.
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