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Punk duo lead singer Bobby Vylan has stated he is "not regretful" about his "anti-IDF chant" performance at the festival and asserted he would "repeat it tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Controversial Chant and Official Reactions

The outspoken punk duo ignited significant debate when they led crowd calls of "down with the IDF," pointing to the IDF, during their summer performance. This slogan was censured by Glastonbury and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who described it as "shocking hate speech."

Following the incident, the band was dropped by its representation United Talent Agency, and the American state department revoked the members' visas, forcing them to call off a planned North American concert series.

Interview with the Podcaster

In his first public discussion after the festival performance, Vylan, using his real name is Pascal Foster, conversed on The Louis Theroux Podcast. After questioned if he would repeat his actions, he responded:

"Absolutely. Like what if I was to perform at the festival again tomorrow, yes I would do it again. I'm not regretful of it. I'd do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

The artist added that the criticism the duo encountered was "minimal compared to what people in Gaza are experiencing."

On the Chant's Importance

"I aim not to exaggerate the significance of the slogan," he continued. "That's not what I'm trying to do, but since I have their backing, these are the individuals that I'm doing it for, they're the people that I'm being vocal for, then what is there to regret? Well, because I've angered some rightwing official or some rightwing news outlet?"

Unexpected Reaction and Broadcaster Feedback

This artist said he was taken aback by the uproar triggered by the exclamation, and asserted that staff of BBC staff at the event told him on the same day that the set was "fantastic."

However, the broadcaster's ECU subsequently determined that the network's airing of the show breached content standards in regard to harm and offence.

He told the host there was no indication of a controversy in the moment: "It didn't feel like we left stage, and everyone was like [gasps]. It's just normal. We come off stage. It was normal. Nobody suspected anything. Not a soul. Even staff at the BBC were like 'It was fantastic! We enjoyed that!'"

Reply to Blur Frontman

Vylan also hit back at the Blur singer, who labeled the protest "a major misstep I've witnessed in my life" and characterized him as "marching in tennis gear."

Albarn's comment was "disappointing" and "showed no self-awareness," he remarked.

"I need to say that categorising it as a 'huge mistake' implies that somehow the politics of the band or our position on Palestine's freedom is unplanned," he explained.

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

Intent Behind the Chant

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

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

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

Denial of Hate Speech Claims

The musician also denied assertions from the Community Security Trust, a watchdog and Jewish community safety organisation, that their performance contributed to a rise in anti-Jewish events reported later.

"I believe I have caused an hostile atmosphere for the Jewish people. If there were large numbers of people acting and saying 'We made me do this'. I might go, oof, I've had a bad impact here," he commented.

Comparison with Other Artists

When Vylan said he felt the band had been targeted more severely than different artists for voicing views about the situation, the host brought up the Irish band another band, who have likewise faced criticism for their approach to pro-Palestine advocacy.

"That's a notable point," Vylan responded, "since as with everything ethnicity becomes a factor in that we are an easier target, no pun intended, than they are because we are already the enemy."