🔗 Share this article

The frontman Bobby Vylan has stated he is "without regret" about his "anti-IDF chant" act at the festival and asserted he would "repeat it tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Disputed Exclamation and Political Responses

The vocal music duo ignited widespread debate when they led crowd calls of "down with the IDF," referring to the Israel Defense Forces, during their June set. The slogan was condemned by Glastonbury and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who labeled it as "appalling hate speech."

Following the incident, the band was released by its agency UTA, and the American state department revoked the artists' travel documents, compelling them to cancel a planned North American tour.

Conversation with the Podcaster

During his initial public discussion after the Glastonbury performance, the musician, using his 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, definitely I would do it again. I'm without regret of it. I'd do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

He added that the backlash the band encountered was "small compared to what people in Palestine are experiencing."

Regarding the Protest's Significance

"I aim not to overstate the significance of the slogan," he continued. "It isn't 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, these are the people that I'm speaking up for, then what is there to regret? Well, because I've angered some rightwing official or some rightwing media?"

Surprising Reaction and BBC Comments

The artist claimed he was surprised by the uproar triggered by the exclamation, and stated that members of the broadcaster employees at the event told him on the same day that the set was "fantastic."

However, the broadcaster's ECU subsequently found that the BBC's airing of the show breached content standards in regard to offense and hurt.

Vylan informed Theroux there was no indication of a controversy in the moment: "It wasn't like we left stage, and everyone was like [shocked]. It's just normal. We come off stage. It's normal. No one suspected anything. Nobody. Including staff at the BBC were like 'That was fantastic! We loved that!'"

Response to Damon Albarn

The musician also hit back at the Blur singer, who called the protest "a major misstep I've seen in my life" and described Vylan as "goose-stepping in sport gear."

His comment was "disappointing" and "showed no self-awareness," Vylan said.

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

"I strongly object with the phrase 'marching' being used because it's typically associated around the Nazis," he continued. "That's it. And for him to use that language, I think is disgusting. I think his answer was appalling."

Intent Behind the Slogan

After questioned what he intended by the phrase "Death to the IDF," the artist said the chant itself was "insignificant."

"The key issue is the conditions that exist to allow that protest to even occur on that stage. And I mean, the circumstances that exist in the region. Where the Palestinian population are being killed at an alarming rate. What matters about the chant?" he stated.

"The phrase rhymes," he added: "Stop the IDF' does not rhyme, wouldn't have caught on, would it? … We are there to perform. We are there to sing songs. I am a lyricist. 'Death, Death to IDF' rhymes. Perfect chant."

Denial of Antisemitism Allegations

Vylan also rejected assertions from the CST, a monitoring and Jewish community safety organisation, that their performance contributed to a rise in anti-Jewish incidents recorded later.

"I don't think I have created an unsafe environment for the Jewish community. If there were many individuals of individuals acting and saying 'Bob Vylan made me do this'. I could go, oh, I've had a negative effect here," he commented.

Comparison with Different Artists

When Vylan said he thought the duo had been targeted more heavily than different artists for voicing views about the conflict, Theroux referenced the Irish band another band, who have also faced criticism for their method to pro-Palestinian messaging.

"That's an interesting one," Vylan responded, "because as with all things race comes to play a part in that we are an more convenient target, no pun intended, than others are because we are already the opponent."