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Punk duo lead singer Bobby Vylan has expressed he is "without regret" about his "death, death to the IDF" performance at the festival and declared he would "repeat it tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Disputed Exclamation and Political Reactions

This outspoken music duo sparked significant debate when they initiated audience chants of "death, death to the IDF," referring to the IDF, during their summer set. The chant was condemned by festival organizers and UK Prime Minister the prime minister, who labeled it as "shocking hate speech."

Following the event, the band was dropped by its agency United Talent Agency, and the US government cancelled the members' visas, forcing them to call off a planned US and Canada concert series.

Conversation with the Podcaster

In his first interview after the festival performance, the musician, whose real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, conversed on The Louis Theroux Podcast. When questioned if he would repeat his actions, he replied:

"Oh yeah. Like what if I was to perform at the festival again tomorrow, definitely I would do it again. I'm not regretful of it. I'd do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

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

On the Protest's Significance

"I don't want to exaggerate the significance of the slogan," he continued. "That's not what I'm trying to do, but since I have their support, these are the people that I'm advocating for, these are the people that I'm being vocal for, then what is there to feel sorry about? Oh, because I've upset some conservative politician or some conservative media?"

Unexpected Reaction and Broadcaster Comments

This musician said he was taken aback by the outcry sparked by the chant, and stated that members of BBC staff at Glastonbury told him on the same day that the performance was "fantastic."

However, the broadcaster's executive complaints unit subsequently found that the network's airing of the show breached content guidelines in regard to harm and offence.

Vylan informed Theroux there was no sign of a dispute in the moment: "It wasn't like we left stage, and everybody was like [gasps]. It's just normal. We come off stage. It's normal. No one thought anything. Nobody. Including staff at the BBC were like 'It was fantastic! We loved that!'"

Reply to Damon Albarn

The musician also responded at the Blur singer, who called the protest "one of the most spectacular misfires I've seen in my life" and characterized him as "goose-stepping in sport gear."

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

"I just want to say that labeling it as a 'spectacular misfire' suggests that somehow the politics of the duo or our position on Palestine's freedom is unplanned," he stated.

"I take great issue with the phrase 'goose-stepping' being used because it's typically associated around the Nazis," he added. "Precisely. And for him to use that language, I think is offensive. I think his response was disgusting."

Meaning Behind the Slogan

When asked what he intended by the chant "Down with the IDF," Vylan said the chant itself was "insignificant."

"What is important is the situation that exist to permit that protest to even occur on that stage. And I mean, the conditions that are present in the region. Where the local population are being killed at an disturbing rate. Who cares about the slogan?" he stated.

"Death to the IDF 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 sing songs. I am a lyricist. 'Death, Death to IDF' rhymes. Ideal chant."

Rejection of Hate Speech Claims

Vylan also denied assertions from the CST, a monitoring and Jewish safety organisation, that their performance contributed to a spike in antisemitic events recorded later.

"I believe I have created an unsafe atmosphere for the Jewish people. Suppose there were large numbers of individuals acting and going like 'We made me do this'. I could go, oof, I've had a negative impact here," he commented.

Comparison with Other Artists

When he said he felt the band had been criticised more heavily than different artists for voicing views about the situation, the host referenced the Ireland-based band Kneecap, who have likewise encountered backlash for their approach to pro-Palestine messaging.

"That's an interesting one," Vylan responded, "because as with everything 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."