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The lead singer Bobby Vylan has expressed he is "not regretful" about his "anti-IDF chant" act at Glastonbury and declared he would "do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Controversial Exclamation and Political Reactions

This outspoken punk duo sparked widespread controversy when they initiated crowd calls of "death, death to the IDF," referring to the IDF, during their June performance. The slogan was censured by Glastonbury and Britain's leader the prime minister, who labeled it as "appalling hate speech."

After the event, Bob Vylan was released by its agency United Talent Agency, and the US government cancelled the artists' visas, forcing the duo to cancel a scheduled North American tour.

Conversation with Louis Theroux

During his initial public discussion after the Glastonbury show, the musician, whose birth name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, spoke on The Louis Theroux Podcast. After questioned if he would repeat his actions, he responded:

"Oh yeah. For instance suppose I was to perform at Glastonbury again tomorrow, definitely I would repeat it. I'm not regretful of it. I'd do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

He added that the backlash the band encountered was "small compared to what individuals in Palestine are going through."

On the Protest's Importance

"I don't want to exaggerate the importance of the slogan," he continued. "That's not 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? Oh, because I've upset some conservative politician or some conservative news outlet?"

Surprising Response and BBC Comments

This artist said he was taken aback by the uproar triggered by the chant, and asserted that staff of the broadcaster staff at the event told him on the day that the set was "excellent."

Yet, the broadcaster's ECU later found that the network's broadcast of the show breached editorial guidelines in relation to offense and hurt.

He informed Theroux there was no sign of a controversy in the moment: "It didn't feel like we left stage, and everyone was like [gasps]. It's just normal. We leave stage. It's normal. Nobody thought anything. Not a soul. Even staff at the BBC were like 'That was fantastic! We enjoyed that!'"

Response to Blur Frontman

The musician also hit back at the Blur singer, who called the protest "a major misstep I've witnessed in my life" and described Vylan as "goose-stepping in sport gear."

His comment was "disappointing" and "showed no self-awareness," Vylan remarked.

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

"I take great issue with the phrase 'marching' being used because it's typically associated around the Nazis," he added. "That's it. And for him to use that language, I think is offensive. I think his answer was appalling."

Meaning Behind the Chant

When questioned what he meant by the chant "Down with the IDF," Vylan clarified the slogan itself was "insignificant."

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

"The phrase rhymes," he noted: "Stop the IDF' does not rhyme, wouldn't have spread, would it? … We are there to perform. We are there to sing songs. I am a lyricist. 'The chant' rhymes. Ideal chant."

Denial of Antisemitism Claims

The musician also rejected assertions from the CST, a monitoring and Jewish safety group, that their performance contributed to a rise in antisemitic incidents recorded later.

"I believe I have caused an hostile atmosphere for the Jewish people. If there were many individuals of individuals acting 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

As Vylan mentioned he felt the band had been criticised more severely than different artists for voicing views about the conflict, Theroux brought up the Ireland-based group another band, who have likewise faced criticism for their method to pro-Palestine advocacy.

"That's a notable point," he responded, "because as with all things ethnicity becomes a factor in that we are an more convenient villain, seriously, than they are because we are inherently the enemy."