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The lead singer Bobby Vylan has expressed he is "not regretful" about his "anti-IDF chant" act at Glastonbury and asserted he would "repeat it tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Controversial Chant and Political Reactions

This outspoken punk pair ignited widespread controversy when they initiated crowd calls of "down with the IDF," pointing to the IDF, during their summer performance. The slogan was censured by Glastonbury and Britain's leader the prime minister, who described it as "appalling hate speech."

After the incident, Bob Vylan was dropped by its representation United Talent Agency, and the US government revoked the artists' visas, compelling the duo to cancel a scheduled North American tour.

Conversation with Louis Theroux

During his initial interview since the festival show, the musician, whose birth name is Pascal Foster, spoke on The Louis Theroux Podcast. After questioned if he would repeat his actions, he replied:

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

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

On the Protest's Importance

"I don't want to exaggerate the significance of the chant," he continued. "It isn't what I'm trying to do, but if I have the Palestinian people's backing, they're the individuals that I'm advocating for, they're 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 rightwing media?"

Unexpected Reaction and Broadcaster Comments

This artist said he was surprised by the uproar sparked by the exclamation, and asserted that staff of the broadcaster employees at Glastonbury told him on the day that the set was "fantastic."

Yet, the corporation's ECU later determined that the BBC's broadcast of the show violated content guidelines in regard to offense and hurt.

Vylan informed the host there was no sign of a dispute in the immediate aftermath: "It didn't feel like we left stage, and everyone was like [gasps]. It's just normal. We come off stage. It was normal. Nobody thought anything. Nobody. Even staff at the BBC were like 'It was fantastic! We enjoyed that!'"

Reply to Damon Albarn

Vylan also hit back at Damon Albarn, who called the chant "a major misstep I've seen in my life" and characterized him as "goose-stepping in tennis gear."

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

"I need to say that categorising it as a 'huge mistake' implies that in some way the views of the band or our position on Palestinian liberation is not thought out," he explained.

"I strongly object with the term 'goose-stepping' being used because it's only used around the Nazis," he continued. "Precisely. And for him to use that wording, I think is offensive. I think his answer was appalling."

Meaning Behind the Chant

After asked what he meant by the phrase "Death to the IDF," the artist clarified the slogan itself was "unimportant."

"What is important is the conditions that persist to allow that chant to even occur on that stage. And I mean, the conditions that are present in the region. Where the Palestinian people are being slain at an alarming rate. What matters about the slogan?" he said.

"The phrase rhymes," he noted: "Stop 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. 'The chant' rhymes. Ideal slogan."

Rejection of Hate Speech Allegations

The musician also denied claims from the CST, a watchdog and Jewish community safety organisation, that their performance led to a rise in anti-Jewish incidents recorded two days.

"I believe I have caused an hostile atmosphere for the Jewish community. If there were large numbers of individuals acting and saying 'Bob Vylan made me do this'. I could go, oh, I've had a negative effect here," he commented.

Contrast with Different Artists

When Vylan mentioned he felt the band had been targeted more severely than others for speaking about the conflict, the host brought up the Irish group Kneecap, who have also faced criticism for their approach to pro-Palestine messaging.

"That's a notable point," he responded, "since as with everything ethnicity comes to play a part in that we are an easier target, seriously, than others are because we are inherently the enemy."