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

Controversial Exclamation and Political Reactions

The outspoken music duo sparked significant debate when they led crowd chants of "down with the IDF," referring to the Israel Defense Forces, during their June performance. This chant was censured by festival organizers and Britain's leader 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 US government cancelled the members' visas, forcing them to call off a planned North American concert series.

Conversation with Louis Theroux

During his first interview since the festival show, Vylan, using his real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, conversed on The Louis Theroux Podcast. After asked if he would do it all again, he replied:

"Oh yeah. For instance 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."

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

On the Protest's Significance

"I don't want to exaggerate the significance of the slogan," he continued. "It isn't what I'm trying to do, but since I have the Palestinian people's backing, they're the individuals that I'm advocating for, these are the people that I'm being vocal for, then what is there to feel sorry about? Well, because I've angered some rightwing politician or some rightwing media?"

Unexpected Reaction and Broadcaster Comments

This artist claimed he was taken aback by the outcry sparked by the exclamation, and stated that staff of BBC staff at Glastonbury told him on the day that the set was "fantastic."

Yet, the broadcaster's ECU subsequently determined that the BBC's airing of the show breached content standards in regard to offense and offence.

Vylan informed Theroux there was no sign of a controversy in the moment: "It wasn't like we came off stage, and everybody was like [gasps]. It's just normal. We leave stage. It was normal. Nobody suspected anything. Not a soul. Including staff at the broadcaster were like 'It was fantastic! We loved that!'"

Reply to Damon Albarn

Vylan also hit back at the Blur singer, who labeled the chant "a major misstep I've witnessed in my life" and described him as "goose-stepping in sport gear."

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

"I need to say that labeling it as a 'huge mistake' suggests that somehow the politics of the duo or our stance on Palestinian liberation is not thought out," he stated.

"I take great issue with the term 'goose-stepping' being used because it's typically associated around the Nazis," he added. "Precisely. And for him to use that language, I think is disgusting. I think his response was appalling."

Meaning Behind the Slogan

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

"The key issue is the situation that persist to allow that protest to even take place on that platform. And I mean, the conditions that are present in the region. Where the local people are being killed at an alarming rate. Who cares about the chant?" he stated.

"The phrase rhymes," he noted: "'End, End the IDF does not rhyme, wouldn't have caught on, right? … We are there to entertain. We are there to play music. I am a lyricist. 'Death, Death to IDF' rhymes. Ideal slogan."

Denial of Hate Speech Claims

The musician also denied assertions from the Community Security Trust, a watchdog and Jewish safety group, that their performance led to a rise in antisemitic events recorded later.

"I don't think I have created an unsafe environment for the Jewish people. Suppose there were many individuals of people acting and going like 'We made me do this'. I could go, oh, I've had a bad impact here," he said.

Comparison with Other Bands

When Vylan mentioned he felt the duo had been criticised more heavily than different artists for voicing views about the situation, the host brought up the Irish group another band, who have also encountered backlash for their approach to pro-Palestinian messaging.

"That's a notable point," Vylan responded, "because as with all things 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."