Bob Vylan Celebrates Charlie Kirk Assassination Onstage in Amsterdam

Lead: Punk‐rap duo Bob Vylan sparked fresh outrage on September 14, 2025, by dedicating a song to the recently assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk during a sold‐out show at Paradiso in Amsterdam, drawing condemnation from across the political spectrum.

Nut Graf: The incident underscores Bob Vylan’s deeply polarizing activism, which first garnered global attention with anti-Israel chants at Glastonbury Festival this summer. Their latest remarks follow the fatal shooting of Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, igniting debates over hate speech, free expression and the role of musicians in political protest.

Show of Support for Controversial Figure

  • Frontman Pascal “Bobby” Robinson-Foster opened the performance by praising Kirk’s death: “Rest in peace Charlie Kirk, you piece of s***. The pronouns was/were. Because if you talk s***, you will get banged”.
  • The band stood beside a large Palestinian flag, reinforcing their established pro-Palestine stance.
  • Organizers and venues face increasing pressure to deplatform Bob Vylan, citing their “hard-left politics.”
  • Avon and Somerset Police previously launched an investigation into hate speech after the duo’s Glastonbury performance, where they led chants of “death to the IDF”.
  • Critics decry the onstage dedication as incitement of violence, while supporters defend it as radical free speech.

Broader Cultural Repercussions

  • The assassination of Charlie Kirk, who leaves behind a wife and two young children, was widely condemned; Bob Vylan’s remarks swerved public mourning into controversy.
  • Paradiso issued a statement acknowledging Bob Vylan’s activism as “inseparably linked” to their music, while reinforcing venue security measures.

Upcoming Plans

Bob Vylan remains undeterred, with a six-date UK tour scheduled for November, despite canceled bookings and severed industry relationships following their summer protests.