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Punk duo frontman Bobby Vylan has expressed he is "without regret" about his "death, death to the IDF" performance at Glastonbury and asserted he would "do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Disputed Exclamation and Political Responses

The vocal music duo sparked significant debate when they led audience calls of "death, death to the IDF," referring to the Israel Defense Forces, during their June set. This slogan was censured by festival organizers and Britain's leader the prime minister, who described it as "appalling hate speech."

Following the event, Bob Vylan was released by its representation United Talent Agency, and the American state department cancelled the members' travel documents, compelling the duo to call off a scheduled US and Canada tour.

Interview with Louis Theroux

In his first public discussion since the Glastonbury performance, the musician, whose birth name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, spoke on a popular podcast. When asked if he would repeat his actions, he responded:

"Oh yeah. Like what if I was to perform at the festival again tomorrow, yes I would do it again. I'm not regretful of it. I'd say it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

He added that the criticism the band 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 chant," he elaborated. "That's not what I'm attempting to do, but if I have their support, these are the individuals that I'm advocating for, they're the individuals that I'm being vocal for, then what is there to regret? Well, because I've angered some rightwing politician or some rightwing media?"

Unexpected Reaction and BBC Feedback

The musician claimed he was surprised by the uproar triggered by the exclamation, and asserted that members of the broadcaster employees at Glastonbury told him on the day that the set was "excellent."

However, the corporation's executive complaints unit subsequently determined that the network's airing of the show breached editorial standards in regard to harm and hurt.

Vylan told the host there was no indication of a dispute in the moment: "It wasn't like we left stage, and everybody was like [gasps]. It's just normal. We leave stage. It was normal. Nobody thought anything. Nobody. Including crew at the BBC were like 'It was fantastic! We loved that!'"

Response to Damon Albarn

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

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

"I need to say that labeling it as a 'huge mistake' implies that in some way the views of the band or our position on Palestine's freedom is unplanned," he explained.

"I take great issue with the term 'marching' being used because it's only used around the Nazis," he added. "Precisely. And for him to use that language, I think is offensive. I think his answer was appalling."

Intent Behind the Slogan

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

"What is important is the conditions that persist to allow that chant to even take place on that stage. And I mean, the circumstances that exist in the region. In which the local people are being killed at an alarming rate. What matters about the slogan?" he stated.

"Death to the IDF rhymes," he noted: "Stop the IDF' does not rhyme, wouldn't have spread, would it? … We are there to entertain. We are there to play music. I am a songwriter. 'Death, Death to IDF' rhymes. Perfect chant."

Denial of Hate Speech Allegations

The musician also rejected claims from the CST, a monitoring and Jewish community safety organisation, that their set led to a spike in anti-Jewish events recorded later.

"I believe I have caused an unsafe environment for the Jewish people. Suppose there were large numbers of people acting and saying 'We made me do this'. I could go, oh, I've had a bad effect here," he commented.

Comparison with Different Bands

When he said he thought the band had been targeted more severely than others for speaking about the conflict, Theroux brought up the Irish band another band, who have also encountered backlash for their approach to pro-Palestinian messaging.

"That's a notable point," he said, "since as with everything race becomes a factor in that we are an easier target, no pun intended, than others are because we are inherently the enemy."