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Punk duo lead singer Bobby Vylan has expressed he is "not regretful" about his "anti-IDF chant" performance at the festival and declared he would "do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Controversial Exclamation and Political Responses

This outspoken music pair sparked widespread debate when they initiated audience calls of "down with the IDF," referring to the IDF, during their June performance. The slogan was censured by festival organizers and Britain's leader Keir Starmer, who described it as "shocking hate speech."

After the incident, the band was released by its agency United Talent Agency, and the American government revoked the members' travel documents, forcing the duo to call off a scheduled North American concert series.

Interview with Louis Theroux

During his first public discussion since the Glastonbury performance, the musician, whose real name is Pascal Foster, spoke on The Louis Theroux Podcast. After questioned if he would do it all again, he responded:

"Absolutely. Like suppose I was to perform at the festival again tomorrow, yes I would do it again. I'm not regretful of it. I'd do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

The artist noted that the criticism the band encountered was "minimal compared to what individuals in Palestine are experiencing."

On the Protest's Significance

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

Surprising Reaction and BBC Comments

This musician said he was surprised by the uproar triggered by the chant, and asserted that members of the broadcaster employees at Glastonbury told him on the same day that the set was "fantastic."

Yet, the broadcaster's ECU later found that the BBC's airing of the show breached content guidelines in regard to harm and hurt.

He informed the host there was no indication of a controversy in the moment: "It wasn't like we came off stage, and everybody was like [gasps]. It's just normal. We come off stage. It's normal. Nobody thought anything. Not a soul. Including crew at the broadcaster were like 'It was fantastic! We enjoyed that!'"

Reply to Blur Frontman

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

Albarn's comment was "disappointing" and "lacked self-awareness," Vylan said.

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

"I take great issue with the term 'goose-stepping' being used because it's typically associated around the Nazis," he continued. "That's it. And for him to use that wording, I think is offensive. I think his response was appalling."

Intent Behind the Chant

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

"What is important is the conditions that exist to permit that protest to even occur on that stage. And I mean, the circumstances that exist in Palestine. In which the Palestinian people are being killed at an disturbing rate. What matters about the chant?" he stated.

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

Denial of Hate Speech Claims

Vylan also rejected claims from the CST, a watchdog and Jewish community safety group, that their set led to a spike in antisemitic events reported two days.

"I don't think I have created an unsafe environment for the Jewish community. Suppose there were many individuals of people acting and saying 'We made me do this'. I could go, oof, I've had a negative effect here," he commented.

Contrast with Other Artists

As he said he felt the duo had been targeted more severely than others for voicing views about the situation, the host brought up the Ireland-based group Kneecap, who have likewise faced backlash for their approach to pro-Palestine messaging.

"That's an interesting one," Vylan said, "since as with everything ethnicity becomes a part in that we are an more convenient target, no pun intended, than others are because we are inherently the opponent."