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Punk duo frontman of Bob Vylan has stated he is "not regretful" about his "death, death to the IDF" performance at Glastonbury and asserted he would "do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Disputed Exclamation and Official Reactions

This outspoken punk duo ignited significant controversy when they led crowd chants of "death, death to the IDF," referring to the Israel Defense Forces, during their summer performance. This slogan was condemned by Glastonbury and Britain's leader the prime minister, who labeled it as "shocking hate speech."

After the incident, the band was released by its agency UTA, and the US state department revoked the members' visas, forcing them to call off a planned US and Canada tour.

Conversation with Louis Theroux

During his first public discussion since the festival performance, the musician, whose birth name is Pascal Foster, conversed on The Louis Theroux Podcast. After questioned if he would repeat his actions, he replied:

"Absolutely. Like suppose I was to perform at the festival again tomorrow, yes I would repeat it. I'm without regret of it. I'd say it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

He added that the backlash the duo faced was "minimal compared to what people in Gaza are experiencing."

Regarding the Protest's Significance

"I don't want to overstate the importance of the slogan," he continued. "It isn't what I'm trying to do, but if I have their support, these are the individuals that I'm doing it for, these are the individuals that I'm being vocal for, then what is there to feel sorry about? Oh, because I've angered some conservative official or some conservative media?"

Surprising Reaction and Broadcaster Feedback

The musician claimed he was taken aback by the outcry triggered by the chant, and asserted that members of BBC employees at the event told him on the same day that the set was "excellent."

However, the broadcaster's ECU subsequently found that the BBC's airing of the show breached content guidelines in relation to offense and offence.

Vylan told the host there was no sign of a controversy in the immediate aftermath: "It wasn't like we came off stage, and everyone was like [gasps]. It's just normal. We leave stage. It's normal. No one suspected anything. Not a soul. Including staff at the BBC were like 'That was fantastic! We loved that!'"

Reply to Damon Albarn

Vylan also responded at Damon Albarn, who labeled the protest "one of the most spectacular misfires I've witnessed in my life" and characterized him as "goose-stepping in sport gear."

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

"I need to say that labeling it as a 'spectacular misfire' implies that somehow the views of the band or our stance on Palestine's freedom 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."

Meaning Behind the Slogan

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

"The key issue is the conditions that persist to permit that protest to even take place on that stage. And I mean, the conditions that exist in Palestine. Where the Palestinian people are being slain at an alarming rate. Who cares about the chant?" he stated.

"The phrase rhymes," he added: "'End, End the IDF does not rhyme, wouldn't have caught on, would it? … We are there to perform. We are there to play music. I am a lyricist. 'The chant' rhymes. Ideal slogan."

Denial of Antisemitism Allegations

Vylan also rejected claims from the CST, a monitoring and Jewish safety group, that their set contributed to a spike in anti-Jewish incidents recorded later.

"I don't think I have caused an hostile atmosphere for the Jewish people. If there were many individuals of people going out and going like 'We made me do this'. I could go, oof, I've had a bad effect here," he said.

Contrast with Different Bands

As Vylan said he felt the duo had been criticised more severely than others for voicing views about the conflict, Theroux referenced the Irish band Kneecap, who have likewise faced criticism for their approach to pro-Palestine advocacy.

"That's a notable point," Vylan said, "since as with all things ethnicity comes to play a part in that we are an more convenient villain, no pun intended, than others are because we are already the opponent."