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The frontman Bobby Vylan has stated he is "without regret" about his "anti-IDF chant" act at the festival and declared he would "repeat it tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Controversial Chant and Official Responses

This outspoken punk duo ignited widespread debate when they led audience calls of "death, death to the IDF," pointing to the IDF, during their summer set. The slogan was censured by festival organizers and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who described it as "appalling hate speech."

After the incident, Bob Vylan was dropped by its representation UTA, and the American government cancelled the members' travel documents, forcing the duo to call off a scheduled North American tour.

Interview with Louis Theroux

In his first interview after the festival performance, the musician, using his real name is Pascal Foster, conversed on The Louis Theroux Podcast. After asked if he would do it all again, he responded:

"Absolutely. For instance suppose I was to go on the festival again tomorrow, yes I would repeat it. I'm without regret of it. I'd do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

He noted that the backlash the duo faced was "minimal compared to what people in Gaza are experiencing."

Regarding the Protest's Significance

"I don't want to overstate the importance of the chant," he elaborated. "It isn't what I'm trying to do, but if I have the Palestinian people's backing, these are the individuals that I'm advocating for, these are the people that I'm speaking up for, then what is there to feel sorry about? Well, because I've upset some rightwing politician or some conservative news outlet?"

Surprising Response and Broadcaster Comments

This musician claimed he was taken aback by the uproar triggered by the chant, and stated that members of BBC employees at the event told him on the same day that the set was "excellent."

However, the broadcaster's executive complaints unit subsequently determined that the network's airing of the performance breached editorial standards in relation to harm and offence.

Vylan told the host there was no indication of a controversy in the immediate aftermath: "It didn't feel like we came off stage, and everyone was like [shocked]. It felt normal. We leave stage. It's normal. Nobody thought anything. Nobody. Including crew at the BBC were like 'That was fantastic! We loved that!'"

Response to Blur Frontman

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

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

"I need to say that categorising it as a 'spectacular misfire' suggests that somehow the views of the duo 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 response was appalling."

Meaning Behind the Slogan

After asked what he meant by the chant "Death to the IDF," Vylan clarified the chant itself was "unimportant."

"What is important is the situation that persist to permit that chant to even occur on that platform. And I mean, the conditions that are present in the region. In which the Palestinian people are being killed at an alarming rate. What matters about the chant?" he said.

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

Denial of Antisemitism Claims

The musician also denied claims from the Community Security Trust, a monitoring and Jewish safety group, that their performance led to a spike in antisemitic incidents reported two days.

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

Contrast with Other Artists

When he said he thought the band had been targeted more severely than different artists for speaking about the situation, the host brought up the Ireland-based group another band, who have also faced criticism for their approach to pro-Palestinian advocacy.

"That's a notable point," Vylan said, "since as with all things race comes to play a part in that we are an easier villain, seriously, than others are because we are inherently the enemy."