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The frontman Bobby Vylan has expressed he is "not regretful" about his "death, death to the IDF" act at the festival and asserted he would "repeat it tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Disputed Exclamation and Official Responses

This outspoken punk duo ignited significant debate when they led audience calls of "death, death to the IDF," pointing to the IDF, during their summer set. This chant was condemned by festival organizers and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who described it as "appalling hate speech."

Following the event, the band was dropped by its representation United Talent Agency, and the US government revoked the members' travel documents, forcing them to cancel a scheduled North American concert series.

Conversation with Louis Theroux

In his first interview since the Glastonbury performance, the musician, using his real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, conversed on The Louis Theroux Podcast. After asked if he would do it all again, he responded:

"Absolutely. Like suppose I was to perform at Glastonbury again tomorrow, yes I would repeat it. I'm not regretful of it. I'd do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

He noted that the criticism the band encountered was "small compared to what people in Gaza are experiencing."

On the Protest's Importance

"I aim not to exaggerate the significance of the chant," he elaborated. "It isn't what I'm trying to do, but since I have their support, these are the people that I'm advocating for, these are the individuals that I'm being vocal for, then what is there to feel sorry about? Oh, because I've upset some conservative politician or some conservative media?"

Surprising Reaction and BBC Feedback

The musician said he was taken aback by the outcry triggered by the chant, and asserted that staff of the broadcaster staff at the event told him on the day that the set was "excellent."

Yet, the broadcaster's ECU later determined that the network's airing of the performance violated content standards in regard to offense and hurt.

Vylan informed the host there was no sign of a controversy in the moment: "It didn't feel like we came off stage, and everybody was like [gasps]. It felt normal. We leave stage. It's normal. No one thought anything. Nobody. Including staff at the broadcaster were like 'That was fantastic! We enjoyed that!'"

Reply to Blur Frontman

The musician also hit back at Damon Albarn, who called the chant "one of the most spectacular misfires I've seen in my life" and characterized him as "marching in sport gear."

His reaction was "disappointing" and "lacked self-awareness," Vylan remarked.

"I just want 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 only used around the Nazis," he continued. "That's it. And for him to use that wording, I think is offensive. I think his response was disgusting."

Meaning Behind the Slogan

When asked what he meant by the chant "Down with the IDF," Vylan clarified the slogan itself was "insignificant."

"The key issue is the situation that exist to allow that protest to even take place on that stage. And I mean, the circumstances that are present in Palestine. In which the local people are being killed at an alarming rate. Who cares about the slogan?" 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 play music. I am a songwriter. 'The chant' rhymes. Perfect slogan."

Rejection of Hate Speech Allegations

Vylan also rejected assertions from the CST, a monitoring and Jewish community safety group, that their set contributed to a spike in anti-Jewish incidents reported two days.

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

Comparison with Different Bands

As Vylan mentioned he thought the duo had been criticised more severely than different artists for speaking about the situation, Theroux referenced the Irish band another band, who have likewise encountered criticism for their method to pro-Palestine advocacy.

"That's a notable point," he said, "since as with everything ethnicity comes to play a factor in that we are an easier villain, seriously, than they are because we are already the enemy."