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Punk duo lead singer of Bob Vylan has expressed he is "not regretful" about his "anti-IDF chant" performance at the festival and asserted he would "do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Controversial Chant and Political Reactions

The vocal music duo sparked significant debate when they initiated audience chants of "down with the IDF," pointing to the IDF, during their June set. The chant was censured by festival organizers and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who described it as "shocking hate speech."

Following the incident, the band was released by its agency United Talent Agency, and the American state department cancelled the members' travel documents, forcing the duo to call off a planned North American tour.

Interview with the Podcaster

During his first interview after the festival show, the musician, whose birth name is Pascal Foster, spoke on a popular podcast. When questioned if he would repeat his actions, he responded:

"Absolutely. For instance what if I was to go on Glastonbury again tomorrow, definitely 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 "minimal compared to what individuals in Palestine are going through."

Regarding the Protest's Significance

"I don't want to exaggerate the significance of the chant," he continued. "It isn't what I'm attempting to do, but if I have their backing, they're the people that I'm doing it for, these are the people that I'm speaking up for, then what is there to regret? Oh, because I've upset some rightwing official or some rightwing media?"

Unexpected Reaction and BBC Feedback

The musician said he was taken aback by the outcry sparked by the exclamation, and stated that staff 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 later found that the network's airing of the show violated editorial standards in relation to harm and offence.

Vylan informed the host there was no sign of a dispute in the immediate aftermath: "It didn't feel like we came off stage, and everyone was like [gasps]. It's just normal. We leave stage. It was normal. Nobody suspected anything. Nobody. Including staff at the BBC were like 'That was fantastic! We enjoyed that!'"

Response to Blur Frontman

Vylan also hit back at the Blur singer, who called the chant "one of the most spectacular misfires I've witnessed in my life" and characterized Vylan as "marching in tennis gear."

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

"I just want to say that categorising it as a 'spectacular misfire' suggests that somehow the views of the band or our stance on Palestine's freedom is not thought out," he stated.

"I strongly object with the phrase 'goose-stepping' being used because it's typically associated around the Nazis," he continued. "That's it. And for him to use that wording, I think is offensive. I think his answer was disgusting."

Intent Behind the Chant

When questioned what he meant by the phrase "Down with the IDF," the artist clarified the chant itself was "insignificant."

"The key issue is the situation that exist to allow that protest to even occur on that stage. And I mean, the conditions that exist in Palestine. Where the local population are being killed at an disturbing rate. Who cares about the chant?" he stated.

"Death to the IDF rhymes," he added: "'End, End the IDF does not rhyme, wouldn't have caught on, would it? … We are there to perform. We are there to sing songs. I am a lyricist. 'The chant' rhymes. Ideal slogan."

Rejection of Antisemitism Allegations

The musician also rejected claims from the Community Security Trust, a monitoring and Jewish safety group, that their performance led to a rise in antisemitic incidents reported later.

"I don't think I have caused an unsafe environment for the Jewish people. Suppose there were large numbers of people going out and going like 'We made me do this'. I might go, oof, I've had a bad impact here," he said.

Comparison with Different Artists

When Vylan mentioned he felt the band had been targeted more severely than others for voicing views about the conflict, Theroux brought up the Irish group Kneecap, who have also encountered backlash for their approach to pro-Palestine messaging.

"That's an interesting one," Vylan said, "because as with everything race comes to play a part in that we are an more convenient target, seriously, than others are because we are already the opponent."