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The lead singer of Bob Vylan has expressed he is "without regret" about his "anti-IDF chant" performance at the festival and declared he would "do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Controversial Exclamation and Official Reactions

The outspoken music pair ignited widespread debate when they initiated crowd calls of "down with the IDF," referring to the Israel Defense Forces, during their summer performance. The slogan was censured by festival organizers and Britain's leader Keir Starmer, who labeled it as "appalling hate speech."

After the event, the band was released by its agency United Talent Agency, and the US government cancelled the artists' travel documents, forcing them to call off a scheduled North American concert series.

Conversation with Louis Theroux

In his initial public discussion since the festival show, Vylan, using his real name is Pascal Foster, spoke on The Louis Theroux Podcast. After asked if he would repeat his actions, he responded:

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

He noted that the criticism the duo encountered was "small compared to what individuals in Gaza are going through."

Regarding the Chant's Importance

"I don't want to overstate the significance of the slogan," he elaborated. "It isn't what I'm attempting to do, but if I have the Palestinian people's support, they're the individuals that I'm advocating for, these are the people that I'm being vocal for, then what is there to regret? Oh, because I've angered some rightwing politician or some rightwing media?"

Unexpected Reaction and Broadcaster Feedback

This musician said he was surprised by the uproar sparked 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 corporation's ECU subsequently found that the BBC's airing of the performance violated content standards in relation to harm and hurt.

He told Theroux 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 suspected anything. Nobody. Even staff at the BBC were like 'That was fantastic! We enjoyed that!'"

Response to Damon Albarn

Vylan also responded at the Blur singer, who labeled the chant "a major misstep I've witnessed in my life" and described him as "goose-stepping in tennis gear."

Albarn's comment was "letdown" and "lacked self-awareness," he remarked.

"I need to say that categorising it as a 'huge mistake' implies that in some way the politics of the band or our position on Palestinian liberation is unplanned," he explained.

"I strongly object with the phrase 'goose-stepping' being used because it's typically associated around Nazi Germany," he added. "That's it. And for him to use that language, I think is disgusting. I think his response was appalling."

Intent Behind the Slogan

When questioned what he meant by the chant "Death to the IDF," Vylan clarified the chant itself was "insignificant."

"What is important is the conditions that exist to permit that chant to even take place on that stage. And I mean, the circumstances that are present in the region. Where the local population are being killed at an alarming rate. What matters about the slogan?" he said.

"The phrase rhymes," he added: "'End, End the IDF does not rhyme, wouldn't have caught on, right? … We are there to perform. We are there to sing songs. I am a songwriter. 'Death, Death to IDF' rhymes. Ideal chant."

Rejection of Antisemitism Claims

Vylan also denied assertions from the CST, a monitoring and Jewish safety group, that their performance contributed to a spike in anti-Jewish incidents reported later.

"I don't think I have caused an hostile atmosphere for the Jewish community. If there were large numbers of people going out and going like 'Bob Vylan made me do this'. I might go, oh, I've had a bad impact here," he said.

Contrast with Different Bands

As Vylan said he thought the band had been criticised more heavily than others for voicing views about the situation, the host brought up the Ireland-based band Kneecap, who have also faced backlash for their approach to pro-Palestine messaging.

"That's an interesting one," Vylan responded, "because as with all things race becomes a factor in that we are an more convenient villain, seriously, than others are because we are inherently the opponent."