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

Controversial Exclamation and Official Reactions

This outspoken music duo sparked widespread debate when they led crowd calls of "down with the IDF," pointing to the IDF, during their summer performance. This slogan was condemned by Glastonbury and Britain's leader the prime minister, who labeled it as "shocking hate speech."

Following the event, the band was dropped by its agency UTA, and the American government cancelled the artists' visas, compelling the duo to call off a scheduled North American tour.

Conversation with the Podcaster

During his first interview since the Glastonbury performance, Vylan, using his real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, spoke on The Louis Theroux Podcast. After questioned if he would repeat his actions, he responded:

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

The artist added that the backlash the duo encountered was "minimal compared to what people in Palestine are going through."

Regarding the Chant's Importance

"I don't want to overstate the importance of the slogan," he continued. "That's not what I'm attempting to do, but if I have the Palestinian people's support, they're the people that I'm advocating for, they're the individuals that I'm being vocal for, then what is there to regret? Oh, because I've upset some rightwing official or some rightwing media?"

Unexpected Response and Broadcaster Feedback

The musician said he was surprised by the outcry sparked by the exclamation, and stated that members of BBC staff at the event told him on the day that the performance was "excellent."

However, the corporation's executive complaints unit subsequently determined that the network's airing of the performance violated content standards in regard to offense and offence.

He told the host there was no sign of a controversy in the immediate aftermath: "It wasn't like we left stage, and everybody was like [shocked]. It's just normal. We come off stage. It's normal. Nobody suspected anything. Not a soul. Even crew at the BBC were like 'That was fantastic! We enjoyed that!'"

Reply to Blur Frontman

The musician also hit back at the Blur singer, who labeled the chant "one of the most spectacular misfires I've witnessed in my life" and described Vylan as "marching in sport gear."

Albarn's comment was "letdown" and "showed no self-awareness," he said.

"I just want to say that labeling it as a 'spectacular misfire' suggests that somehow the views of the duo or our position on Palestine's freedom is not thought out," he stated.

"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 language, I think is offensive. I think his response was disgusting."

Intent Behind the Slogan

When asked what he meant by the phrase "Down with the IDF," the artist clarified the slogan itself was "unimportant."

"What is important is the situation that exist to permit that chant to even occur on that stage. And I mean, the circumstances that are present in the region. Where the Palestinian population are being slain at an disturbing rate. What matters about the slogan?" he said.

"Death to the IDF rhymes," he noted: "'End, End the IDF does not rhyme, wouldn't have spread, would it? … We are there to entertain. We are there to play music. I am a songwriter. 'Death, Death to IDF' rhymes. Ideal slogan."

Denial of Hate Speech Claims

The musician also rejected assertions from the CST, a watchdog and Jewish safety group, that their set contributed to a spike in antisemitic events recorded later.

"I believe I have created an hostile environment for the Jewish community. If there were many individuals of people going out and saying 'Bob Vylan made me do this'. I could go, oh, I've had a negative effect here," he commented.

Contrast with Other Artists

As he said he thought the duo had been targeted more heavily than different artists for voicing views about the conflict, Theroux referenced the Ireland-based band another band, who have likewise encountered criticism for their method to pro-Palestinian messaging.

"That's a notable point," he said, "since as with all things ethnicity comes to play a part in that we are an more convenient target, no pun intended, than others are because we are inherently the opponent."