🔗 Share this article

The frontman of Bob Vylan has stated he is "without regret" about his "anti-IDF chant" act at Glastonbury and declared he would "do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Controversial Chant and Political Reactions

This vocal punk pair sparked widespread controversy when they initiated audience chants of "death, death to the IDF," referring to the Israel Defense Forces, during their June performance. The slogan was censured by Glastonbury and Britain's leader Keir Starmer, who labeled it as "appalling hate speech."

After the incident, the band was dropped by its agency United Talent Agency, and the American government revoked the artists' travel documents, forcing the duo to call off a scheduled North American concert series.

Interview with Louis Theroux

During his initial public discussion after the festival show, Vylan, using his birth name is Pascal Foster, spoke on The Louis Theroux Podcast. After questioned if he would do it all again, he responded:

"Oh yeah. Like what if I was to go on the festival again tomorrow, definitely I would repeat it. I'm without regret of it. I'd say it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

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

Regarding the Protest's Significance

"I don't want to overstate the significance of the chant," he continued. "It isn't what I'm trying to do, but since I have the Palestinian people's backing, these are the individuals that I'm advocating for, they're the individuals that I'm speaking up for, then what is there to regret? Oh, because I've angered some conservative politician or some rightwing news outlet?"

Unexpected Reaction and BBC Feedback

The artist claimed he was taken aback by the outcry sparked by the exclamation, and asserted that members of the broadcaster employees at Glastonbury told him on the same day that the performance was "excellent."

Yet, the broadcaster's ECU subsequently determined that the network's airing of the performance violated editorial guidelines in relation to harm and hurt.

He told Theroux there was no indication of a dispute in the moment: "It didn't feel like we came off stage, and everybody was like [shocked]. It felt normal. We come off stage. It's normal. Nobody suspected anything. Nobody. Even staff at the broadcaster were like 'That was fantastic! We loved that!'"

Response to Damon Albarn

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

Albarn's reaction was "letdown" and "showed no self-awareness," he said.

"I need to say that categorising it as a 'spectacular misfire' suggests that in some way the views of the duo or our stance on Palestine's freedom is unplanned," he stated.

"I strongly object with the term 'marching' being used because it's only used around the Nazis," he continued. "Precisely. And for him to use that wording, I think is disgusting. I think his response was disgusting."

Meaning Behind the Slogan

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

"What is important is the situation that persist to allow that chant to even occur on that stage. And I mean, the conditions that are present in Palestine. In which the local people are being killed at an disturbing rate. What matters about the slogan?" he said.

"Death to the IDF rhymes," he added: "'End, End the IDF does not rhyme, wouldn't have spread, right? … We are there to perform. We are there to play music. I am a lyricist. 'Death, Death to IDF' rhymes. Perfect chant."

Denial of Antisemitism Claims

The musician also rejected claims from the Community Security Trust, a watchdog and Jewish community safety group, that their set led to a spike in antisemitic events reported two days.

"I don't think I have caused an hostile environment for the Jewish people. If there were large numbers of individuals acting and saying 'Bob Vylan made me do this'. I could go, oof, I've had a bad impact here," he said.

Comparison with Different Artists

When Vylan mentioned he thought the band had been criticised more severely than others for voicing views about the situation, Theroux referenced the Irish group Kneecap, who have also encountered criticism for their approach to pro-Palestinian advocacy.

"That's an interesting one," Vylan responded, "since as with everything ethnicity becomes a factor in that we are an more convenient villain, no pun intended, than others are because we are inherently the opponent."