🔗 Share this article Bobby Vylan's Position on Glastonbury Israel Defense Forces Protest: "Zero Regrets" The frontman of Bob Vylan has stated he is "not regretful" about his "anti-IDF chant" act at Glastonbury and asserted he would "do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays." Disputed Chant and Official Responses This outspoken music duo ignited widespread debate when they initiated crowd calls of "death, death to the IDF," referring to the Israel Defense Forces, during their June performance. This chant was condemned by festival organizers and UK Prime Minister the prime minister, who described it as "appalling hate speech." After the incident, Bob Vylan was dropped by its representation UTA, and the US government revoked the members' travel documents, forcing the duo to cancel a scheduled North American tour. Interview with Louis Theroux In his initial interview after the Glastonbury performance, the musician, whose birth name is Pascal Foster, conversed on The Louis Theroux Podcast. After questioned if he would repeat his actions, he responded: "Oh yeah. For instance what if I was to go on the festival again tomorrow, definitely I would repeat it. I'm without regret of it. I'd say it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays." He noted that the backlash the band encountered was "minimal compared to what individuals in Palestine are experiencing." On the Chant's Importance "I don't want to overstate the importance of the slogan," he continued. "That's not what I'm trying to do, but since I have the Palestinian people's support, these are the people that I'm doing it for, they're the individuals that I'm being vocal for, then what is there to regret? Oh, because I've upset some rightwing politician or some rightwing media?" Unexpected Response and Broadcaster Feedback This musician claimed he was surprised by the uproar sparked by the exclamation, and asserted that members of the broadcaster employees at the event told him on the day that the set was "excellent." However, the broadcaster's executive complaints unit subsequently found that the BBC's airing of the show violated content guidelines in regard to offense and hurt. Vylan informed the host there was no sign of a controversy in the moment: "It wasn't like we came off stage, and everybody was like [gasps]. It's just normal. We leave stage. It's normal. No one suspected anything. Not a soul. Including crew at the broadcaster were like 'It was fantastic! We loved that!'" Reply to Blur Frontman Vylan also hit back at Damon Albarn, who labeled the chant "a major misstep I've witnessed in my life" and characterized him as "marching in sport gear." His reaction was "letdown" and "showed no self-awareness," he said. "I just want to say that labeling it as a 'huge mistake' suggests that somehow the views of the band or our position on Palestine's freedom is unplanned," he stated. "I strongly object with the term 'goose-stepping' being used because it's only used around the Nazis," he added. "Precisely. And for him to use that wording, I think is offensive. I think his answer was appalling." Intent Behind the Chant After questioned what he intended by the chant "Death to the IDF," Vylan clarified the slogan itself was "unimportant." "What is important is the situation that persist to permit that chant to even take place on that stage. And I mean, the conditions that are present in the region. Where the Palestinian population are being killed at an disturbing rate. Who cares about the chant?" he stated. "The phrase rhymes," he noted: "'End, End the IDF does not rhyme, wouldn't have caught on, would it? … We are there to entertain. We are there to sing songs. I am a lyricist. 'Death, Death to IDF' rhymes. Ideal slogan." Denial of Hate Speech Allegations The musician also denied claims from the Community Security Trust, a watchdog and Jewish safety group, that their set led to a rise in anti-Jewish events recorded two days. "I don't think I have caused an hostile environment for the Jewish people. If there were many individuals of individuals going out and saying 'Bob Vylan made me do this'. I might go, oof, I've had a bad effect here," he said. Comparison with Different Artists When he said he thought the band had been criticised more heavily than different artists for voicing views about the situation, the host brought up the Irish band another band, who have likewise encountered backlash for their method to pro-Palestinian messaging. "That's a notable point," Vylan said, "since as with everything race comes to play a factor in that we are an more convenient villain, no pun intended, than others are because we are inherently the opponent."