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Punk duo lead singer Bobby Vylan has stated he is "without regret" about his "anti-IDF chant" act at the festival and asserted he would "do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Disputed Exclamation and Official Responses

The outspoken music duo ignited significant controversy when they initiated crowd chants of "down with the IDF," pointing to the Israel Defense Forces, during their June set. This chant was condemned by festival organizers and Britain's leader Keir Starmer, who labeled it as "appalling hate speech."

After the incident, the band was dropped by its agency United Talent Agency, and the US state department cancelled the members' travel documents, compelling them to call off a scheduled US and Canada tour.

Interview with the Podcaster

During his initial interview after the festival performance, the musician, whose real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, spoke on a popular podcast. After asked if he would do it all again, he responded:

"Oh yeah. Like suppose I was to perform at Glastonbury again tomorrow, definitely I would do it again. 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 people in Gaza are going through."

On the Protest's Importance

"I don't want to exaggerate the importance of the chant," he elaborated. "That's not what I'm trying to do, but if I have the Palestinian people's backing, they're the individuals that I'm doing it for, they're the individuals that I'm speaking up for, then what is there to feel sorry about? Oh, because I've upset some conservative politician or some conservative news outlet?"

Unexpected Reaction and Broadcaster Comments

The artist said he was taken aback by the outcry triggered by the chant, and stated that members of the broadcaster employees at the event told him on the same day that the set was "excellent."

However, the corporation's executive complaints unit subsequently found that the network's broadcast of the performance breached editorial guidelines in relation to harm and offence.

He told the host there was no sign of a controversy in the immediate aftermath: "It didn't feel like we left stage, and everybody was like [shocked]. It felt normal. We come off stage. It was normal. No one suspected anything. Nobody. Even crew at the broadcaster were like 'That was fantastic! We enjoyed that!'"

Response to Blur Frontman

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

Albarn's comment was "disappointing" and "lacked self-awareness," he remarked.

"I just want to say that categorising it as a 'huge mistake' suggests that somehow the politics of the duo or our position on Palestine's freedom is not thought out," he explained.

"I take great issue with the term 'marching' being used because it's only used around Nazi Germany," he added. "Precisely. And for him to use that language, I think is disgusting. I think his response was disgusting."

Intent Behind the Slogan

When asked what he meant by the phrase "Down with the IDF," Vylan said the slogan itself was "insignificant."

"The key issue 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. Where the Palestinian people are being slain at an disturbing rate. Who cares about the slogan?" he said.

"The phrase rhymes," he noted: "'End, End the IDF does not rhyme, wouldn't have spread, right? … We are there to entertain. We are there to play music. I am a songwriter. 'The chant' rhymes. Ideal slogan."

Rejection of Antisemitism Allegations

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

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

Comparison with Other Bands

When he said he felt the band had been criticised more severely than others for speaking about the situation, Theroux referenced the Ireland-based band another band, who have likewise faced criticism for their approach to pro-Palestinian advocacy.

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