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The lead singer of Bob Vylan has expressed he is "not regretful" about his "anti-IDF chant" act at the festival and declared he would "repeat it tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Controversial Chant and Official Reactions

This outspoken music duo ignited widespread controversy when they initiated audience chants of "down with the IDF," pointing to the IDF, during their June set. This slogan was censured by festival organizers and UK Prime Minister the prime minister, who described it as "appalling hate speech."

After the event, the band was released by its agency UTA, and the American state department revoked the members' visas, compelling them to cancel a scheduled North American concert series.

Interview with the Podcaster

In his first interview since the festival performance, the musician, using his birth name is Pascal Foster, conversed on The Louis Theroux Podcast. When questioned if he would repeat his actions, he replied:

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

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

On the Chant's Significance

"I don't want to overstate the importance of the slogan," he elaborated. "It isn't what I'm attempting to do, but since I have the Palestinian people's backing, they're the individuals that I'm doing it for, these are the individuals that I'm speaking up for, then what is there to regret? Oh, because I've upset some conservative official or some conservative news outlet?"

Surprising Response and Broadcaster Feedback

The musician said he was surprised by the outcry sparked by the chant, and asserted that members of BBC staff at Glastonbury told him on the same day that the performance was "fantastic."

Yet, the corporation's executive complaints unit later found that the network's airing of the performance breached content standards in relation to offense and offence.

He told 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 [shocked]. It's just normal. We leave stage. It was normal. Nobody thought anything. Nobody. Including crew at the BBC were like 'That was fantastic! We enjoyed that!'"

Response to Blur Frontman

The musician also hit back at Damon Albarn, who labeled the protest "a major misstep I've seen in my life" and described Vylan as "goose-stepping in sport gear."

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

"I just want to say that categorising it as a 'spectacular misfire' implies that in some way the views of the duo or our stance on Palestine's freedom is not thought out," he explained.

"I strongly object with the phrase 'goose-stepping' being used because it's typically associated around Nazi Germany," he continued. "Precisely. And for him to use that wording, I think is disgusting. I think his answer was disgusting."

Meaning Behind the Chant

When questioned what he meant by the phrase "Death to the IDF," Vylan clarified the slogan itself was "unimportant."

"The key issue is the situation that exist to permit that chant to even occur on that platform. And I mean, the circumstances that are present in Palestine. Where the Palestinian population are being killed at an alarming rate. What matters about the chant?" 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 songwriter. 'The chant' rhymes. Perfect chant."

Denial of Antisemitism Claims

Vylan also denied claims from the CST, a monitoring and Jewish safety organisation, that their performance led to a spike in antisemitic events reported later.

"I believe I have caused an hostile atmosphere for the Jewish people. Suppose there were many individuals of people going out and going like 'We made me do this'. I could go, oh, I've had a bad effect here," he commented.

Contrast with Other Artists

As Vylan mentioned he felt the duo had been targeted more severely than others for speaking about the conflict, Theroux referenced the Irish group Kneecap, who have also faced backlash for their approach to pro-Palestine messaging.

"That's an interesting one," he said, "because as with all things ethnicity becomes a part in that we are an more convenient villain, no pun intended, than they are because we are inherently the opponent."