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The lead singer of Bob Vylan has expressed he is "not regretful" about his "anti-IDF chant" performance at Glastonbury and asserted he would "repeat it tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Disputed Exclamation and Political Responses

This vocal music pair sparked significant controversy when they led audience chants of "down with the IDF," referring to the IDF, during their June set. This chant was condemned by festival organizers and Britain's leader the prime minister, who labeled it as "shocking hate speech."

After the event, Bob Vylan was released by its representation UTA, and the US government revoked the artists' travel documents, forcing the duo to call off a scheduled US and Canada concert series.

Interview with the Podcaster

In his first public discussion since the festival performance, the musician, whose birth name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, spoke on The Louis Theroux Podcast. After questioned if he would do it all again, he replied:

"Oh yeah. For instance suppose I was to perform at the festival again tomorrow, definitely I would repeat it. I'm not regretful of it. I'd do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

The artist added that the criticism the band encountered was "minimal compared to what individuals in Palestine are going through."

On the Protest's Importance

"I don't want to overstate the importance 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 doing it for, these are the people that I'm being vocal for, then what is there to regret? Oh, because I've angered some conservative politician or some conservative media?"

Unexpected Reaction and BBC Comments

The artist said he was surprised by the outcry triggered by the chant, and asserted that staff of BBC staff at Glastonbury told him on the same day that the performance was "excellent."

Yet, the corporation's ECU subsequently determined that the BBC's airing of the performance violated editorial guidelines in relation to offense and hurt.

Vylan informed the host there was no indication of a controversy in the immediate aftermath: "It wasn't like we came off stage, and everybody was like [shocked]. It felt normal. We come off stage. It's normal. Nobody thought anything. Nobody. Including crew at the broadcaster were like 'It was fantastic! We enjoyed that!'"

Response to Blur Frontman

Vylan also hit back at Damon Albarn, who called the chant "a major misstep I've seen in my life" and characterized Vylan as "goose-stepping in tennis gear."

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

"I need to say that categorising it as a 'spectacular misfire' suggests that in some way the views of the band or our stance on Palestinian liberation is unplanned," he explained.

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

Intent Behind the Chant

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

"What is important is the conditions that exist to permit that chant to even take place on that platform. And I mean, the conditions that exist in Palestine. In which the local population are being killed at an alarming rate. What matters about the slogan?" he stated.

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

Denial of Hate Speech Claims

The musician also denied assertions from the Community Security Trust, a monitoring and Jewish safety organisation, that their set contributed to a spike in antisemitic events recorded later.

"I don't think 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, oh, I've had a negative effect here," he said.

Comparison with Other Artists

As he mentioned he thought the duo had been targeted more severely than others for speaking about the conflict, Theroux brought up the Ireland-based band another band, who have likewise faced criticism for their method to pro-Palestinian messaging.

"That's an interesting one," he responded, "since as with everything ethnicity comes to play a factor in that we are an easier villain, no pun intended, than others are because we are inherently the opponent."