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Punk duo frontman Bobby Vylan has expressed he is "without regret" about his "anti-IDF chant" act at Glastonbury and asserted he would "do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Disputed Exclamation and Political Responses

This vocal punk pair sparked significant controversy when they initiated audience calls of "down with the IDF," referring to the IDF, during their June performance. This chant was condemned by festival organizers and Britain's leader Keir Starmer, who described it as "shocking hate speech."

After the event, the band was dropped by its representation UTA, and the American state department revoked the members' travel documents, compelling them to call off a planned North American concert series.

Conversation with Louis Theroux

During his first public discussion after the Glastonbury show, the musician, using his birth name is Pascal Foster, conversed on The Louis Theroux Podcast. After questioned if he would repeat his actions, he responded:

"Absolutely. For instance what if I was to go on the festival again tomorrow, definitely I would repeat it. I'm without regret of it. I'd do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

He added that the criticism the band encountered was "minimal compared to what individuals in Palestine are experiencing."

Regarding the Protest's Significance

"I aim not to overstate the importance of the slogan," he elaborated. "That's not what I'm trying to do, but since I have the Palestinian people's backing, they're the individuals that I'm advocating for, these are the people that I'm being vocal for, then what is there to feel sorry about? Well, because I've upset some conservative politician or some rightwing media?"

Surprising Reaction and Broadcaster Feedback

This musician said he was surprised by the outcry sparked by the exclamation, and asserted that staff of the broadcaster employees at the event told him on the same day that the performance was "fantastic."

However, the corporation's ECU later determined that the network's airing of the performance violated editorial guidelines in regard to harm and offence.

Vylan informed the host there was no indication of a controversy in the immediate aftermath: "It didn't feel like we left stage, and everyone was like [shocked]. It's just normal. We come off stage. It was normal. No one thought anything. Nobody. Even crew at the broadcaster were like 'That was fantastic! We loved that!'"

Reply to Blur Frontman

Vylan also responded at the Blur singer, who labeled the chant "one of the most spectacular misfires I've seen in my life" and described him as "marching in sport gear."

His comment was "disappointing" and "showed no self-awareness," he said.

"I need to say that labeling it as a 'huge mistake' suggests that somehow the politics of the duo or our position on Palestinian liberation is unplanned," he explained.

"I take great issue with the term 'goose-stepping' 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 disgusting."

Meaning Behind the Chant

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

"What is important is the situation that persist to allow that chant to even take place on that stage. And I mean, the conditions that are present in Palestine. In which the local population are being killed at an alarming rate. Who cares about the chant?" he said.

"The phrase rhymes," he noted: "'End, End 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 lyricist. 'The chant' rhymes. Perfect chant."

Rejection of Hate Speech Claims

The musician also rejected assertions from the CST, a watchdog and Jewish community safety organisation, that their performance led to a spike in antisemitic incidents reported later.

"I believe I have created an hostile atmosphere for the Jewish people. If there were large numbers of people acting and going like 'We made me do this'. I might go, oof, I've had a negative effect here," he said.

Comparison with Different Bands

When he mentioned he felt the band had been criticised more heavily than others for speaking about the conflict, the host referenced the Ireland-based group another band, who have likewise faced criticism for their approach to pro-Palestinian messaging.

"That's a notable point," he said, "since as with all things race comes to play a part in that we are an more convenient villain, seriously, than they are because we are already the enemy."