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

Disputed Chant and Official Responses

The outspoken music pair sparked significant controversy when they led crowd chants of "down with the IDF," referring to the IDF, during their June set. The chant was censured by festival organizers and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who described it as "appalling hate speech."

Following the incident, Bob Vylan was released by its agency United Talent Agency, and the American government cancelled the artists' travel documents, compelling the duo to cancel a scheduled North American tour.

Interview with the Podcaster

In his first interview since the festival show, the musician, whose real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, conversed on The Louis Theroux Podcast. After questioned if he would repeat his actions, he replied:

"Oh yeah. For instance what if I was to perform at the festival again tomorrow, definitely I would repeat it. 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 Chant's Importance

"I aim not to exaggerate the importance of the slogan," he continued. "That's not what I'm attempting to do, but if I have their support, they're the individuals that I'm doing it for, these are the people that I'm speaking up for, then what is there to feel sorry about? Oh, because I've upset some rightwing official or some rightwing media?"

Unexpected Response and BBC Comments

This musician claimed he was surprised by the outcry triggered by the exclamation, and stated that members of BBC employees at the event told him on the same day that the performance was "excellent."

However, the corporation's executive complaints unit subsequently found that the BBC's airing of the show violated content standards in regard to harm and offence.

Vylan informed the host there was no indication of a dispute in the immediate aftermath: "It wasn't like we came off stage, and everyone was like [gasps]. It's just normal. We leave stage. It was normal. Nobody suspected anything. Nobody. Including staff at the broadcaster were like 'It was fantastic! We enjoyed that!'"

Reply to Damon Albarn

The musician also responded at Damon Albarn, who labeled the protest "one of the most spectacular misfires I've witnessed in my life" and described Vylan as "goose-stepping in tennis gear."

Albarn's comment was "letdown" and "showed no self-awareness," Vylan remarked.

"I just want to say that labeling it as a 'spectacular misfire' suggests that somehow the politics of the band or our stance on Palestine's freedom is not thought out," he explained.

"I strongly object with the term 'goose-stepping' being used because it's typically associated around the Nazis," he continued. "Precisely. And for him to use that language, I think is disgusting. I think his answer was disgusting."

Meaning Behind the Chant

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

"The key issue is the situation that exist to permit that chant 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 chant?" he said.

"Death to the IDF rhymes," he noted: "'End, End the IDF does not rhyme, wouldn't have spread, right? … We are there to entertain. We are there to sing songs. I am a songwriter. 'The chant' rhymes. Perfect slogan."

Rejection of Hate Speech Claims

The musician also denied assertions from the CST, a watchdog and Jewish safety group, that their set contributed to a rise in antisemitic events recorded later.

"I believe I have created an hostile environment for the Jewish people. If there were large numbers of individuals going out and saying 'We made me do this'. I could go, oof, I've had a bad effect here," he said.

Comparison with Other Bands

When he said he thought the band had been criticised more heavily than others for voicing views about the situation, Theroux referenced the Ireland-based band Kneecap, who have also faced backlash for their approach to pro-Palestine advocacy.

"That's a notable point," Vylan responded, "since 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 inherently the opponent."