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Punk duo lead singer Bobby Vylan has expressed he is "without regret" about his "anti-IDF chant" performance at Glastonbury and asserted he would "repeat it tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Disputed Exclamation and Political Responses

This vocal music duo ignited widespread controversy when they initiated crowd chants of "death, death to the IDF," pointing to the Israel Defense Forces, during their summer performance. This slogan was censured by Glastonbury and Britain's leader Keir Starmer, who labeled it as "appalling hate speech."

After the event, Bob Vylan was dropped by its agency United Talent Agency, and the American government cancelled the members' visas, forcing the duo to call off a planned US and Canada tour.

Conversation with Louis Theroux

In his initial interview since the festival show, the musician, whose birth name is Pascal Foster, conversed on The Louis Theroux Podcast. After asked if he would do it all again, he responded:

"Absolutely. Like what if I was to perform at the festival again tomorrow, yes I would repeat it. I'm without regret of it. I'd do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

He noted that the criticism the band faced was "small compared to what individuals in Gaza are going through."

Regarding the Protest's Importance

"I don't want to exaggerate the importance of the slogan," he continued. "It isn't what I'm attempting to do, but if I have the Palestinian people's backing, they're the people that I'm doing it for, they're the people that I'm speaking up for, then what is there to feel sorry about? Well, because I've angered some conservative official or some rightwing media?"

Surprising Response and Broadcaster Feedback

The artist said he was surprised by the outcry sparked by the chant, and stated that members of BBC employees at the event told him on the same day that the set was "fantastic."

Yet, the corporation's ECU later found that the BBC's airing of the performance breached content standards in relation to offense and offence.

Vylan informed the host there was no sign of a controversy in the moment: "It wasn't like we came off stage, and everyone was like [shocked]. It felt normal. We leave stage. It was normal. No one thought anything. Not a soul. Even staff at the BBC were like 'It was fantastic! We enjoyed that!'"

Reply to Damon Albarn

The musician also responded at Damon Albarn, who labeled the chant "one of the most spectacular misfires I've witnessed in my life" and described him as "marching in tennis gear."

His comment was "letdown" and "showed no self-awareness," Vylan said.

"I need to say that labeling it as a 'huge mistake' implies that in some way the views of the duo or our stance on Palestine's freedom is not thought out," he stated.

"I take great issue with the phrase 'marching' being used because it's only used around Nazi Germany," he continued. "Precisely. And for him to use that wording, I think is offensive. I think his response was disgusting."

Intent Behind the Chant

After asked what he meant by the phrase "Down with the IDF," the artist clarified the chant 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 the region. In which the Palestinian population are being slain at an alarming rate. What matters about the chant?" he stated.

"The phrase rhymes," he added: "Stop the IDF' does not rhyme, wouldn't have caught on, would it? … We are there to entertain. We are there to play music. I am a songwriter. 'The chant' rhymes. Ideal chant."

Denial of Hate Speech Claims

The musician also rejected assertions from the CST, a monitoring and Jewish safety group, that their set led to a rise in anti-Jewish events reported two days.

"I believe I have created an hostile environment for the Jewish community. If there were many individuals of individuals going out and going like 'We made me do this'. I might go, oh, I've had a bad impact here," he said.

Comparison with Different Artists

When Vylan said he thought the band had been targeted more heavily than others for speaking about the situation, the host referenced the Ireland-based band Kneecap, who have likewise encountered criticism for their method to pro-Palestinian messaging.

"That's a notable point," he said, "because as with everything race becomes a factor in that we are an easier target, seriously, than they are because we are already the enemy."