Bob Vylan on Charlie Kirk Assassination: 'Rest in Piss'
English punk-rap duo Bob Vylan ignited widespread backlash after appearing to celebrate the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk during a live performance at Club Paradiso in Amsterdam on Saturday.
Bob Vylan sparks global outrage after dedicating a performance to slain activist Charlie Kirk during Amsterdam concert at Club Paradiso.
Ben Birchall/PA Images via Getty Images
Concert footage circulating on social media shows frontman Bobby Vylan (real name Pascal Robinson-Foster) addressing the audience before launching into a track. He dedicated the performance to Kirk, who was killed on September 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University, telling the cheering crowd:
“I want to dedicate this next one to an absolute piece of shit of a human being. The pronouns was/were. Rest in piss Charlie Kirk, you piece of shit.”
Reaction to Charlie Kirk’s Assassination Remarks
Kirk, leader of Turning Point USA and a close ally of former U.S. President Donald Trump, was fatally shot in the neck by an assassin’s bullet while discussing mass shootings in the United States. His death and the duo’s remarks fueled intense debate across political and cultural circles.
During the Amsterdam concert, Bobby Vylan also repeated criticism of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and urged violent actions against “fascists and Zionists.” According to statements from Hanan Herzberger, chairman of the Central Jewish Council of the Netherlands, the comments amounted to calls for another pogrom in Amsterdam.
Glastonbury Controversy Resurfaces
This is not the first time Bob Vylan has drawn international condemnation. The duo faced significant backlash earlier in the summer after chants of “death to the IDF” during their Glastonbury Festival set, which was broadcast live on the BBC.
The reaction prompted UTA to cut ties with the group, while the U.S. State Department revoked their visas, threatening their planned North American tour. The BBC later issued a statement apologizing for airing the performance, labeling the remarks “utterly unacceptable and antisemitic.”
Bob Vylan responded at the time by stating the group was being unfairly targeted, arguing they were raising awareness rather than seeking attention for themselves.
Paradiso Issues Statement
During the Amsterdam show, a Palestinian flag was displayed on stage, and the band later posted footage of a post-concert protest on their Instagram account.
Venue Club Paradiso addressed the controversy in a statement, acknowledging the offensive nature of the remarks but defending the role of artistic freedom in music. The venue emphasized that punk music often reflects anger and social unrest, while clarifying that the language used did not represent its own stance.
Paradiso added that it shares concerns about violence in Gaza and stated it would cooperate with Dutch authorities should prosecutors pursue a criminal investigation into the performance.
