🔗 Share this article

The frontman Bobby Vylan has expressed he is "without regret" about his "anti-IDF chant" performance at the festival and asserted he would "do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Disputed Chant and Political Responses

The vocal punk duo sparked widespread debate when they initiated crowd chants of "down with the IDF," pointing to the IDF, during their June set. This slogan was condemned by Glastonbury and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who described it as "appalling hate speech."

After the event, the band was released by its representation United Talent Agency, and the US state department cancelled the members' travel documents, forcing the duo to call off a planned North American concert series.

Interview with Louis Theroux

In his initial interview since the Glastonbury performance, the musician, whose birth name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, spoke on The Louis Theroux Podcast. When asked if he would do it all again, he responded:

"Absolutely. For instance what if I was to perform at the festival again tomorrow, yes I would do it again. I'm without regret of it. I'd do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

He noted that the backlash the band faced was "small compared to what individuals in Gaza are experiencing."

Regarding the Chant's Importance

"I don't want to exaggerate the importance of the slogan," he continued. "That's not what I'm attempting to do, but since I have the Palestinian people's support, they're the individuals that I'm advocating for, these are the people that I'm being vocal for, then what is there to feel sorry about? Oh, because I've angered some conservative politician or some conservative media?"

Unexpected Response and BBC Comments

This musician claimed he was taken aback by the outcry triggered by the chant, and asserted that staff of BBC staff at the event told him on the day that the set was "fantastic."

Yet, the broadcaster's ECU later determined that the BBC's airing of the performance breached editorial standards in relation to offense and offence.

Vylan told Theroux there was no indication of a controversy in the moment: "It wasn't like we left stage, and everyone was like [shocked]. It's just normal. We leave stage. It was normal. No one suspected anything. Nobody. Including crew at the broadcaster were like 'That was fantastic! We loved that!'"

Response to Damon Albarn

Vylan also hit back at Damon Albarn, who labeled the protest "one of the most spectacular misfires I've seen in my life" and characterized Vylan as "marching in sport gear."

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

"I just want to say that categorising it as a 'spectacular misfire' suggests that in some way 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 typically associated around the Nazis," he added. "Precisely. And for him to use that language, I think is offensive. I think his response was disgusting."

Intent Behind the Chant

When questioned what he intended by the phrase "Down with the IDF," Vylan clarified the chant itself was "unimportant."

"The key issue is the conditions that persist to permit that chant to even take place on that platform. And I mean, the circumstances that are present in Palestine. In which the local population are being killed at an alarming rate. What matters about the chant?" he said.

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

Denial of Antisemitism Claims

Vylan also rejected claims from the Community Security Trust, a watchdog and Jewish community safety group, that their performance contributed to a spike in antisemitic events reported two days.

"I believe I have caused an unsafe atmosphere for the Jewish community. Suppose there were many individuals of people going out and saying 'Bob Vylan made me do this'. I could go, oof, I've had a negative effect here," he commented.

Contrast with Different Artists

As Vylan mentioned he felt the band had been criticised more heavily than different artists for speaking about the situation, Theroux referenced the Ireland-based band another band, who have likewise encountered criticism for their method to pro-Palestine advocacy.

"That's an interesting one," he responded, "because as with everything ethnicity becomes a part in that we are an easier villain, seriously, than they are because we are inherently the enemy."