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The frontman Bobby Vylan has stated he is "not regretful" about his "anti-IDF chant" performance at the festival and asserted he would "repeat it tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Disputed Exclamation and Official Responses

The vocal punk pair sparked widespread controversy when they initiated crowd calls of "death, death to the IDF," referring to the IDF, during their summer performance. The chant was condemned by festival organizers and Britain's leader Keir Starmer, who described it as "shocking hate speech."

Following the incident, Bob Vylan was released by its representation UTA, and the American state department cancelled the artists' travel documents, compelling the duo to call off a scheduled US and Canada tour.

Conversation with the Podcaster

During his first public discussion after the festival show, Vylan, using his birth name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, conversed on The Louis Theroux Podcast. After questioned if he would repeat his actions, he responded:

"Absolutely. For instance suppose I was to perform at Glastonbury again tomorrow, definitely I would do it again. I'm not regretful of it. I'd say it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

The artist noted that the criticism the duo encountered was "small compared to what individuals in Gaza are experiencing."

On the Protest's Significance

"I aim not to exaggerate the importance 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 individuals that I'm advocating for, these are the people that I'm speaking up for, then what is there to regret? Oh, because I've upset some rightwing politician or some rightwing news outlet?"

Surprising Response and BBC Feedback

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

However, the corporation's ECU later determined that the network's broadcast of the performance violated editorial standards in regard to offense and hurt.

Vylan told the host there was no sign of a controversy in the immediate aftermath: "It didn't feel like we left stage, and everybody was like [shocked]. It's just normal. We come off stage. It's normal. Nobody thought anything. Not a soul. Including staff at the broadcaster were like 'It was fantastic! We loved that!'"

Reply to Damon Albarn

The musician also hit back at the Blur singer, who labeled the chant "one of the most spectacular misfires I've seen in my life" and characterized him as "goose-stepping in tennis gear."

His reaction was "disappointing" and "lacked self-awareness," he said.

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

"I take great issue with the term 'goose-stepping' being used because it's only used around Nazi Germany," he continued. "Precisely. And for him to use that wording, I think is disgusting. I think his answer was appalling."

Intent Behind the Slogan

After questioned what he meant by the chant "Death to the IDF," Vylan said the chant itself was "unimportant."

"The key issue is the situation that persist to allow that chant to even occur on that stage. And I mean, the circumstances that exist in the region. In which the local people are being slain at an alarming rate. What matters about the slogan?" he said.

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

Rejection of Hate Speech Claims

Vylan also rejected claims from the Community Security Trust, a monitoring and Jewish safety organisation, that their set led to a rise in antisemitic incidents reported later.

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

Contrast with Different Bands

When Vylan said he thought the band had been criticised more severely than others for voicing views about the conflict, the host brought up the Ireland-based band another band, who have likewise faced criticism for their approach to pro-Palestine messaging.

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