🔗 Share this article

Punk duo frontman Bobby Vylan has expressed he is "without regret" about his "anti-IDF chant" performance at Glastonbury and asserted he would "repeat it tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Disputed Chant and Political Reactions

The vocal punk duo sparked significant controversy when they initiated crowd calls of "down with the IDF," referring to the Israel Defense Forces, during their summer performance. This chant was condemned by festival organizers and Britain's leader Keir Starmer, who described it as "shocking hate speech."

Following the event, Bob Vylan was released by its representation UTA, and the US state department cancelled the artists' travel documents, forcing them to call off a scheduled North American concert series.

Conversation with Louis Theroux

During his first public discussion since the Glastonbury show, Vylan, whose birth name is Pascal Foster, conversed on a popular podcast. After questioned if he would do it all again, he responded:

"Absolutely. Like suppose I was to perform at Glastonbury again tomorrow, yes I would do it again. I'm without regret of it. I'd say it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

The artist noted that the backlash the duo faced was "small compared to what people in Palestine are going through."

On the Chant's Importance

"I don't want to exaggerate the importance of the chant," he elaborated. "It isn't what I'm attempting to do, but if I have their support, these are the individuals that I'm advocating for, these are the individuals that I'm being vocal for, then what is there to regret? Oh, because I've upset some rightwing official or some conservative news outlet?"

Unexpected Response and Broadcaster Comments

The musician said he was taken aback by the uproar triggered by the exclamation, and asserted that staff of the broadcaster employees at the event told him on the same day that the set was "excellent."

Yet, the corporation's executive complaints unit subsequently found that the BBC's airing of the show breached editorial guidelines in regard to offense and hurt.

He told the host there was no sign of a controversy in the immediate aftermath: "It wasn't like we came off stage, and everyone was like [shocked]. It's just normal. We leave stage. It's normal. No one thought anything. Not a soul. Including staff at the BBC were like 'That was fantastic! We loved that!'"

Response to Blur Frontman

Vylan also responded at the Blur singer, who labeled the protest "one of the most spectacular misfires I've seen in my life" and characterized Vylan as "goose-stepping in tennis gear."

Albarn's comment was "disappointing" and "showed no self-awareness," Vylan said.

"I need to say that categorising it as a 'spectacular misfire' implies that somehow the views of the band or our stance on Palestine's freedom is unplanned," he stated.

"I take great issue with the term 'goose-stepping' 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 appalling."

Intent Behind the Slogan

After asked what he meant by the phrase "Death to the IDF," the artist said the chant itself was "insignificant."

"The key issue is the situation that persist to allow that chant to even occur on that platform. And I mean, the conditions that exist in Palestine. In which the local population are being slain at an disturbing rate. What matters 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 play music. I am a lyricist. 'The chant' rhymes. Perfect slogan."

Rejection of Hate Speech Allegations

The musician also denied assertions from the CST, a monitoring and Jewish safety organisation, that their set led to a rise in antisemitic 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 saying 'Bob Vylan made me do this'. I could go, oof, I've had a bad impact here," he said.

Contrast with Other Artists

As he mentioned he felt the duo had been targeted more severely than different artists for voicing views about the conflict, the host brought up the Irish band Kneecap, who have also faced backlash for their approach to pro-Palestine messaging.

"That's a notable point," he responded, "because as with everything ethnicity comes to play a factor in that we are an easier target, no pun intended, than others are because we are inherently the enemy."