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The lead singer Bobby Vylan has expressed he is "without regret" about his "anti-IDF chant" act at the festival and declared he would "repeat it tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Controversial Chant and Official Responses

This vocal punk pair sparked significant debate when they initiated audience chants of "death, death to the IDF," referring to the IDF, during their summer performance. The slogan was condemned by festival organizers and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who described it as "shocking hate speech."

After the incident, the band was dropped by its agency UTA, and the US state department cancelled the artists' visas, compelling the duo to cancel a planned US and Canada tour.

Interview with the Podcaster

In his initial interview after the Glastonbury performance, Vylan, using his birth name is Pascal Foster, conversed on The Louis Theroux Podcast. When asked if he would repeat his actions, he responded:

"Absolutely. For instance suppose I was to go on Glastonbury again tomorrow, definitely I would repeat it. I'm without regret of it. I'd say it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

The artist added that the backlash the duo faced was "minimal compared to what individuals in Palestine are experiencing."

Regarding the Chant's Importance

"I don't want to exaggerate the importance of the slogan," he elaborated. "It isn't what I'm trying to do, but since I have their backing, they're the people that I'm advocating for, these are the individuals that I'm speaking up for, then what is there to regret? Oh, because I've angered some rightwing politician or some conservative media?"

Surprising Response and Broadcaster Feedback

The musician claimed he was surprised by the uproar triggered by the exclamation, and stated that staff of the broadcaster staff at Glastonbury told him on the day that the performance was "fantastic."

However, the corporation's executive complaints unit later determined that the network's airing of the performance breached editorial guidelines in relation to offense and offence.

Vylan told Theroux there was no indication of a controversy in the immediate aftermath: "It wasn't like we left stage, and everybody was like [gasps]. It's just normal. We leave stage. It's normal. Nobody suspected anything. Nobody. Even staff at the broadcaster were like 'That was fantastic! We loved that!'"

Response to Blur Frontman

Vylan also hit back at Damon Albarn, who labeled the chant "a major misstep I've seen in my life" and characterized Vylan as "marching in tennis gear."

His comment was "disappointing" and "lacked self-awareness," Vylan remarked.

"I need to say that labeling it as a 'huge mistake' suggests that in some way the politics of the duo or our position on Palestinian liberation is not thought out," he explained.

"I strongly object with the term 'marching' being used because it's only used around Nazi Germany," he added. "That's it. And for him to use that wording, I think is disgusting. I think his response was appalling."

Meaning Behind the Slogan

After asked what he intended by the chant "Down with the IDF," Vylan clarified the slogan itself was "insignificant."

"The key issue is the conditions that persist to permit that chant to even occur on that stage. And I mean, the conditions that exist in Palestine. In which the local people are being slain at an disturbing rate. What matters about the slogan?" he stated.

"Death to the IDF rhymes," he noted: "'End, End the IDF does not rhyme, wouldn't have caught on, right? … We are there to perform. We are there to play music. I am a lyricist. 'Death, Death to IDF' rhymes. Perfect slogan."

Denial of Hate Speech Claims

The musician also rejected assertions from the Community Security Trust, a monitoring and Jewish safety group, that their set led to a rise in antisemitic incidents recorded later.

"I don't think I have caused an hostile environment for the Jewish community. If there were many individuals of individuals acting and saying 'Bob Vylan made me do this'. I might go, oof, I've had a bad impact here," he said.

Contrast with Other Artists

When he mentioned he thought the duo had been targeted more heavily than different artists for speaking about the situation, the host brought up the Irish group another band, who have likewise encountered backlash for their approach to pro-Palestinian messaging.

"That's an interesting one," he said, "since as with everything race comes to play a part in that we are an easier target, no pun intended, than others are because we are already the opponent."