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Punk duo lead singer of Bob Vylan has expressed he is "without regret" about his "anti-IDF chant" act at Glastonbury and asserted he would "do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Disputed Chant and Political Responses

The outspoken music duo ignited significant debate when they led crowd calls of "down with the IDF," pointing to the Israel Defense Forces, during their June performance. The slogan was condemned by Glastonbury and Britain's leader the prime minister, who described it as "shocking hate speech."

Following the event, Bob Vylan was dropped by its representation UTA, and the US state department revoked the artists' travel documents, compelling the duo to call off a scheduled US and Canada tour.

Interview with Louis Theroux

In his initial public discussion after the Glastonbury performance, the musician, whose real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, conversed on a popular podcast. When asked if he would do it all again, he replied:

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

He added that the backlash the band encountered was "minimal compared to what people in Palestine are going through."

On the Chant's Significance

"I aim not to exaggerate the significance of the chant," he continued. "That's not what I'm attempting to do, but if I have the Palestinian people's support, these are the individuals that I'm doing it for, they're the people that I'm speaking up for, then what is there to regret? Oh, because I've angered some conservative official or some conservative media?"

Unexpected Response and Broadcaster Comments

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

However, the corporation's executive complaints unit later found that the network's broadcast of the performance breached content standards in relation to offense and offence.

He told the host there was no sign of a dispute in the immediate aftermath: "It wasn't like we left stage, and everyone was like [gasps]. It's just normal. We come off stage. It's normal. Nobody thought anything. Nobody. Even crew at the BBC were like 'That was fantastic! We loved that!'"

Reply to Damon Albarn

Vylan also hit back at the Blur singer, who called the protest "one of the most spectacular misfires I've seen in my life" and described him as "marching in sport gear."

Albarn's reaction was "letdown" and "lacked self-awareness," he remarked.

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

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

Meaning Behind the Chant

After questioned what he intended by the phrase "Down with the IDF," the artist clarified the slogan itself was "insignificant."

"The key issue is the conditions that persist to permit that chant to even occur on that stage. And I mean, the conditions that are present in Palestine. Where the Palestinian people are being slain at an alarming rate. What matters about the chant?" he said.

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

Rejection of Hate Speech Claims

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

"I don't think I have caused an hostile environment for the Jewish community. Suppose there were many individuals of individuals going out and saying 'Bob Vylan made me do this'. I could go, oof, I've had a negative effect here," he commented.

Contrast with Different Bands

When he mentioned he thought the duo had been criticised more severely than different artists for voicing views about the situation, the host referenced the Ireland-based group another band, who have also encountered backlash for their approach to pro-Palestinian advocacy.

"That's a notable point," he responded, "since as with all things race comes to play a part in that we are an more convenient target, no pun intended, than they are because we are inherently the enemy."