Bobby Vylan Stance on Glastonbury Israel Defense Forces Protest: "Zero Regrets"

Punk duo frontman of Bob Vylan has expressed he is "without regret" about his "anti-IDF chant" act at Glastonbury and asserted he would "repeat it tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Controversial Exclamation and Official Reactions

The outspoken punk duo sparked widespread debate when they led crowd calls of "down with the IDF," pointing to the IDF, during their summer performance. The slogan was condemned by Glastonbury and UK Prime Minister the prime minister, who labeled it as "shocking hate speech."

Following the event, the band was dropped by its agency United Talent Agency, and the American state department revoked the artists' visas, compelling them to call off a planned North American concert series.

Interview with Louis Theroux

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

"Oh yeah. Like suppose I was to go on Glastonbury again tomorrow, definitely I would do it again. I'm not regretful of it. I'd do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

The artist added that the backlash the band faced was "small compared to what people in Gaza are going through."

On the Chant's Significance

"I don't want to exaggerate the importance of the chant," he continued. "That's not what I'm trying to do, but if I have the Palestinian people's backing, they're the people that I'm doing it for, they're the people that I'm being vocal for, then what is there to regret? Well, because I've upset some conservative official or some rightwing media?"

Surprising Reaction and Broadcaster Comments

This artist said he was taken aback by the uproar sparked by the chant, and stated that staff of the broadcaster employees at the event told him on the day that the performance was "fantastic."

Yet, the corporation's executive complaints unit later found that the BBC's broadcast of the show violated editorial guidelines in relation to harm and hurt.

He told Theroux there was no indication of a dispute in the moment: "It didn't feel like we came off stage, and everyone was like [gasps]. It's just normal. We come off stage. It was normal. Nobody suspected anything. Nobody. Including crew at the BBC were like 'That was fantastic! We enjoyed that!'"

Reply to Blur Frontman

Vylan also hit back at the Blur singer, who called the chant "one of the most spectacular misfires I've seen in my life" and described him as "marching in sport gear."

His reaction was "disappointing" and "showed no self-awareness," he said.

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

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

Meaning Behind the Slogan

After asked what he intended by the chant "Death to the IDF," Vylan clarified the slogan itself was "unimportant."

"What is important is the situation that exist to permit that chant to even occur on that platform. And I mean, the conditions that exist in the region. Where the Palestinian people are being slain at an disturbing rate. Who cares about the slogan?" he stated.

"The phrase rhymes," he noted: "Stop the IDF' does not rhyme, wouldn't have spread, would it? … We are there to perform. We are there to sing songs. I am a lyricist. 'Death, Death to IDF' rhymes. Ideal slogan."

Denial of Antisemitism Allegations

The musician also denied assertions from the CST, a watchdog and Jewish community safety group, that their set contributed to a spike in antisemitic incidents recorded later.

"I don't think I have caused an hostile atmosphere for the Jewish community. Suppose there were large numbers of individuals going out and saying 'Bob Vylan made me do this'. I could go, oh, I've had a negative effect here," he commented.

Contrast with Different Bands

When he said he thought the duo had been targeted more heavily than different artists for voicing views about the conflict, Theroux brought up the Irish group Kneecap, who have also faced backlash for their approach to pro-Palestinian advocacy.

"That's an interesting one," Vylan responded, "since as with everything ethnicity comes to play a factor in that we are an easier target, seriously, than they are because we are already the enemy."