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Punk duo lead singer Bobby Vylan has expressed he is "not regretful" about his "death, death to the IDF" performance at the festival and declared he would "repeat it tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Disputed Exclamation and Official Responses

This outspoken punk duo sparked significant debate when they initiated crowd calls of "down with the IDF," referring to the IDF, during their June set. The chant was censured by Glastonbury and Britain's leader Keir Starmer, who labeled it as "appalling hate speech."

After the incident, Bob Vylan was released by its agency United Talent Agency, and the American state department cancelled the members' travel documents, forcing them to cancel a planned US and Canada tour.

Conversation with Louis Theroux

In his first public discussion since the festival performance, Vylan, using his birth name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, conversed on a popular podcast. When asked if he would do it all again, he replied:

"Oh yeah. Like suppose I was to go on the festival again tomorrow, definitely I would repeat it. I'm without regret of it. I'd say it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

The artist added that the criticism the duo faced was "minimal compared to what people in Gaza are experiencing."

On the Protest's Significance

"I aim not to exaggerate the significance of the slogan," he elaborated. "It isn't what I'm attempting to do, but since I have the Palestinian people's support, they're the people that I'm advocating for, they're the people that I'm being vocal for, then what is there to feel sorry about? Well, because I've angered some conservative official or some rightwing news outlet?"

Unexpected Reaction and BBC Comments

This artist said he was surprised by the uproar triggered by the chant, and stated that members of the broadcaster staff at the event told him on the same day that the performance was "excellent."

Yet, the corporation's executive complaints unit later found that the network's airing of the performance breached editorial guidelines in regard to offense and offence.

He informed the host there was no indication of a controversy in the moment: "It didn't feel like we came off stage, and everybody was like [shocked]. It felt normal. We leave stage. It was normal. No one thought anything. Not a soul. Even crew at the BBC were like 'That was fantastic! We loved that!'"

Response to Damon Albarn

The musician also responded at Damon Albarn, who labeled the protest "one of the most spectacular misfires I've seen in my life" and described Vylan as "marching in sport gear."

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

"I need to say that categorising it as a 'spectacular misfire' implies that somehow the politics of the duo or our position on Palestinian liberation is unplanned," he explained.

"I strongly object with the phrase 'marching' 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 answer was disgusting."

Meaning Behind the Chant

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

"The key issue is the conditions that persist to permit that protest to even occur on that stage. And I mean, the conditions that are present in Palestine. In which the Palestinian people are being killed at an alarming rate. What matters about the chant?" he said.

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

Rejection of Antisemitism Allegations

Vylan also denied claims from the Community Security Trust, a watchdog and Jewish community safety organisation, that their performance contributed to a spike in anti-Jewish events reported later.

"I don't think I have caused an hostile atmosphere for the Jewish community. Suppose there were large numbers of individuals acting and saying 'We made me do this'. I might go, oof, I've had a bad impact here," he commented.

Contrast with Different Bands

As he mentioned he felt the band had been criticised more severely than different artists for speaking about the conflict, Theroux referenced the Irish band another band, who have also faced backlash for their approach to pro-Palestine advocacy.

"That's a notable point," Vylan responded, "because as with everything ethnicity comes to play a factor in that we are an more convenient villain, seriously, than they are because we are inherently the opponent."