British punk-rap duo Bob Vylan is refusing to stay quiet after facing intense backlash over their politically charged set at this year’s Glastonbury Festival. In a fiery statement, the group claims they’re being deliberately targeted for using their platform to speak out against systemic injustices—and they’re not backing down.

“We are being targeted for speaking up,” the band posted via their social media pages on Monday. “It’s not just about what we said—it’s about why we said it. We didn’t go to Glastonbury to make people comfortable. We went there to speak the truth.”

The controversy began after the duo delivered an explosive performance at Worthy Farm, where they addressed issues including racism, police brutality, gentrification, and the erasure of marginalized voices from UK music spaces. Their set, which blended searing lyrics with unapologetic commentary, sparked both praise and criticism—particularly from sections of the media and online commentators who accused them of being “too radical” or “divisive.”

But for Bob Vylan, whose very name represents rebellion, this kind of reaction was not unexpected.

“We knew this would come,” the group wrote. “It always does when Black artists, especially ones who reject the respectability politics expected of us, speak openly and critically about the system.”

They emphasized that much of the outrage has been disproportionately amplified because they are Black artists refusing to dilute their message. “Other acts are allowed to express themselves, shout political slogans, drop F-bombs, and burn flags. But let us speak truthfully about the state of our communities and suddenly it’s ‘too far’.”

Fans have since rallied around the band, flooding social media with support and reposting clips of their performance with messages like “This is what real punk is supposed to look like” and “Bob Vylan said what many are too scared to.”

This isn’t the first time the duo—made up of vocalist Bobby Vylan and drummer Bobbie—have used their music as protest. Their past releases, including “We Live Here” and “Wicked & Bad”, have never shied away from uncomfortable truths, often confronting issues that are too rarely addressed on mainstream stages.

Glastonbury itself has long been a place where artists have used their sets to speak on political matters—from Stormzy’s headline-grabbing commentary on knife crime and injustice in 2019 to Billie Eilish’s climate change messages. But Bob Vylan’s statement suggests a double standard in how certain voices are received.

“If we’re not allowed to speak up at one of the biggest stages in the world, where are we supposed to say these things?” they questioned. “The industry often celebrates ‘wokeness’ until it’s actually inconvenient.”

Despite the backlash, the group says they have no regrets.

“We didn’t go to Glasto to play it safe. We went to shake the room—and we did.”