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Punk-rock duo Bob Vylan have spent much of the last year in the news cycle over their performance at Glastonbury where the crowd erupted into chants of “Death to the IDF [Israeli Defence Forces]”.

Now they’re fighting back against the negative coverage by taking the BBC to court for defamation arising from “labels [placed] upon us that did not, do not and will never fit”.

In a post on X, the group announced they were taking legal action against the British public broadcaster that has “disappointingly continued to prove how little it represents the interests of the people and our access to unbiased news and information”.

Bob Vylan said the BBC had tried to “silence those that oppose the heinous crimes taking place in Palestine”. The charges levelled against it include labelling critical voices “anti-semitic”, editing and removing content, and “blocking the release of documentaries that challenge the desired narrative of the BBC and its top brass”.

These responses to criticism of Israel, they said, “are unacceptable”.

The duo said, “So, seeing the opportunity to remind them the power of the people that they are attempting to silence, we had no choice but to take on this fight. In fact, we take great pleasure in serving them that reminder in court.”

They ended their message calling for a free Palestine and justice for the Filton 25 — a group of Palestine Action activists arrested for disabling weapons at an arms factory owned by Israel’s Elbit Systems.

Bob Vylan faced a since-dropped police investigation last year after leading a crowd in chants against the Israeli military at the Glastonbury music festival. The investigation led to them being dropped from a number of subsequent festivals.

Meanwhile the BBC was on special alert this year for political messaging at the Bafta awards which it broadcasts. The broadcaster landed in hot water for how the ceremony was edited, with mentions of Palestine being cut but an involuntary racial slur against black people being allowed to air.

The channel was also criticised at the Baftas for its decision not to air the documentary Gaza: Doctors Under Attack citing concerns over partiality. The documentary was aired by Channel 4 and went on to win an award in the Current Affairs category.