After deportation due to anti-Israel slogan: Bob Vylan frontman successfully fights against entry ban

Read this article in German. The frontman of the British punk-rap band Bob Vylan was recently denied entry into Germany due to his pro-Palestinian statements. He was detained at Berlin airport and ultimately deported back to England. On June 15, the Federal Police justified the denial of entry to the singer, whose real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, citing his appearance at the Glastonbury Festival last year, where he had chanted the slogan "Death, death to the IDF" ("Death, death to the IDF" - the Israeli army).

At the end of July, the authorities lifted the entry ban against the singer in a corresponding letter, but refused to provide any information on why the measure was lifted; or how the decision on the entry ban was made. The police file on Robinson-Foster, which The Intercept has obtained, accuses him of spreading antisemitic narratives and Hamas propaganda, which could contribute to the "radicalization of individual population groups" and serve terrorist groups or individuals as an "ideological justification".

It also states that Robinson-Foster poses "a danger to public safety and order" in Germany. His entry would cause "significant damage" to the international reputation and credibility of the Federal Republic; it would create the impression that Germany is not making efforts to "prevent the propagated antisemitism and related calls for violence, especially cross-border".

The Federal Police did not answer detailed questions about the now-lifted entry ban. They cited concerns for public safety and data protection. In response to a catalog of questions about the decision-making process behind the entry denial, its legal basis, the authorities involved, and the reasons for the lifting of the entry ban, Federal Police spokesman Nikolai Jaletzke told The Intercept that they do not comment on threat assessments, operational measures, or coordination processes between authorities.

"It is simply absurd to claim that I pose a danger to Germany's national security," Robinson-Foster told The Intercept. "Equally absurd is the claim that we are spreading propaganda on behalf of any banned organization."

Bob Vylan's performance at the Glastonbury Festival drew worldwide attention. It came at a time when more and more artists began to publicly speak out against Israel's destruction of Gaza. The performance - particularly the chant "Death, death to the IDF" - was strongly condemned by politicians, including then-British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as well as several pro-Israeli Jewish organizations.

The German government's antisemitism commissioner, Felix Klein, described the performance as "hatred and incitement" and called on concert and festival organizers in Germany to cancel Bob Vylan's concerts. Shortly after the Glastonbury performance, Robinson-Foster and his bandmate Wade Laurence George had their US visas revoked.

Germany, however, is the first country to deny entry to a member of the band and deport him. The documents obtained by The Intercept relate exclusively to the implementation of the entry ban - not the underlying decision-making process.

"Our position is simple," said Alexander Gorski - the German lawyer representing Robinson-Foster. "There is a constitutional right to know the file on which such a decision is based."

After Robinson-Foster's deportation, Gorski submitted a request to the Federal Police Headquarters in Potsdam to delete the entry ban from the national register and to inspect the underlying files. Shortly thereafter, the Federal Police lifted the entry ban - without explaining why.

In the two-page letter, which The Intercept also obtained, it merely states that the request is granted and no further information can be provided.

"Of course, it's good that the entry ban was lifted," Gorski told The Intercept. "From a rule-of-law perspective, however, it is highly problematic if someone is denied entry due to a political statement that does not constitute a criminal offense - and is subsequently denied access to the underlying files."

Gorski then formally lodged an objection to obtain insight into internal files that led to the imposition of the entry ban. Robinson-Foster has a right to know the legal basis on which his entry to Germany was denied. Not only to be able to check the legality of the process - but also to understand which behavior the German authorities will consider in the future as a basis for denying entry.

"If an artist wants to comply with the law, they must know what the rules are," Gorski said.

So far, it is unclear how a British musician, who is not accused of any crime in England or Germany, was classified by German authorities as a danger to public safety. The British police had closed corresponding investigations into Bob Vylan's Glastonbury performance at the end of last year, stating that there was "insufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction".

"It's not lacking in evidence, it's lacking in crime," Robinson-Foster told The Intercept. "The BBC broadcast the performance. You can simply watch it."

For Gorski, the case is paradigmatic for a fundamental problem.