🔗 Share this article

The lead singer Bobby Vylan has expressed he is "not regretful" about his "death, death to the IDF" act at Glastonbury and asserted he would "do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Disputed Exclamation and Official Responses

The vocal punk duo ignited significant debate when they led crowd chants of "down with the IDF," pointing to the IDF, during their summer set. The slogan was censured by Glastonbury and Britain's leader the prime minister, who described it as "appalling hate speech."

After the event, Bob Vylan was dropped by its agency UTA, and the American government revoked the members' visas, forcing the duo to call off a planned North American concert series.

Interview with Louis Theroux

During his initial public discussion after the Glastonbury performance, the musician, using his real name is Pascal Foster, spoke on a popular podcast. After questioned if he would repeat his actions, he replied:

"Absolutely. For instance what if 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 noted that the criticism the duo encountered was "minimal compared to what people in Gaza are going through."

Regarding the Chant's Significance

"I don't want to exaggerate the significance of the chant," he continued. "That's not what I'm attempting to do, but since I have their backing, they're the people 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 upset some conservative official or some rightwing media?"

Surprising Reaction and Broadcaster Comments

This artist claimed he was surprised by the outcry sparked by the chant, and asserted that members of the broadcaster employees at Glastonbury told him on the same day that the set was "fantastic."

Yet, the broadcaster's executive complaints unit subsequently determined that the BBC's airing of the show breached content standards in regard to harm and hurt.

He told Theroux there was no sign of a controversy in the immediate aftermath: "It wasn't like we left stage, and everybody was like [shocked]. It's just normal. We come off stage. It's normal. No one suspected anything. Not a soul. Even staff at the BBC were like 'That was fantastic! We enjoyed that!'"

Reply to Damon Albarn

The musician also responded at the Blur singer, who labeled the protest "a major misstep I've seen in my life" and characterized Vylan as "marching in tennis gear."

His reaction was "letdown" and "showed no self-awareness," he said.

"I just want to say that categorising it as a 'spectacular misfire' suggests that in some way the politics of the duo or our position on Palestine's freedom is unplanned," he stated.

"I take great issue with the term 'marching' being used because it's typically associated around the Nazis," he continued. "That's it. And for him to use that language, I think is offensive. I think his response was appalling."

Intent Behind the Chant

After questioned what he intended by the chant "Down with the IDF," the artist said the slogan itself was "unimportant."

"What is important is the situation that exist to allow that chant to even occur on that platform. And I mean, the conditions that exist in Palestine. Where the Palestinian people are being killed at an alarming rate. Who cares about the slogan?" he stated.

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

Rejection of Antisemitism Allegations

Vylan also denied claims from the CST, a monitoring and Jewish community safety organisation, that their set contributed to a rise in anti-Jewish incidents reported two days.

"I don't think I have caused an unsafe atmosphere for the Jewish community. If there were many individuals of people acting and going like 'We made me do this'. I could go, oof, I've had a bad impact here," he said.

Contrast with Other Bands

When he said he felt the band had been targeted more severely than others for speaking about the situation, the host brought up the Irish band another band, who have also faced backlash for their approach to pro-Palestinian advocacy.

"That's an interesting one," he said, "since as with everything race becomes a part in that we are an more convenient target, no pun intended, than others are because we are inherently the enemy."