🔗 Share this article

The frontman of Bob Vylan has expressed he is "without regret" about his "anti-IDF chant" act at the festival and asserted he would "repeat it tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Controversial Chant and Political Reactions

The outspoken music duo ignited widespread debate when they led audience chants of "death, death to the IDF," pointing to the IDF, during their summer set. The chant was censured by Glastonbury and Britain's leader the prime minister, who described it as "shocking hate speech."

Following the incident, the band was released by its agency UTA, and the US government cancelled the artists' travel documents, forcing them to cancel a planned North American tour.

Interview with Louis Theroux

During his first public discussion after the Glastonbury show, Vylan, using his birth name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, spoke on The Louis Theroux Podcast. After questioned if he would repeat his actions, he responded:

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

He added that the backlash the duo faced was "minimal compared to what people in Palestine are experiencing."

Regarding the Protest's Significance

"I don't want to overstate the importance of the slogan," he elaborated. "It isn't what I'm trying to do, but since I have the Palestinian people's backing, they're the people that I'm advocating for, they're the people that I'm speaking up for, then what is there to regret? Oh, because I've angered some rightwing official or some rightwing news outlet?"

Unexpected Response and BBC Feedback

The musician claimed he was taken aback by the uproar triggered by the chant, and asserted that members of the broadcaster staff at Glastonbury told him on the day that the performance was "excellent."

However, the corporation's executive complaints unit later determined that the BBC's airing of the show breached content standards in relation to harm and offence.

He told Theroux there was no indication of a controversy in the moment: "It wasn't like we came off stage, and everybody was like [shocked]. It felt normal. We leave stage. It was normal. Nobody suspected anything. Not a soul. Including staff at the BBC were like 'That was fantastic! We loved that!'"

Response to Damon Albarn

The musician also hit back at Damon Albarn, who called the chant "one of the most spectacular misfires I've witnessed in my life" and characterized him as "marching in sport gear."

His comment was "letdown" and "lacked self-awareness," he said.

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

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

Meaning Behind the Chant

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

"What is important is the situation that exist to allow that protest to even occur on that platform. And I mean, the circumstances that are present in Palestine. Where the local population are being killed at an alarming rate. What matters about the slogan?" he stated.

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

Rejection of Hate Speech Claims

Vylan also rejected assertions from the Community Security Trust, a watchdog and Jewish community safety organisation, that their performance contributed to a spike in anti-Jewish events recorded two days.

"I don't think I have created an unsafe atmosphere for the Jewish community. If there were many individuals of people going out and going like 'We made me do this'. I might go, oh, I've had a bad impact here," he commented.

Comparison with Other Artists

As Vylan mentioned he thought the band had been criticised more heavily than different artists for speaking about the situation, Theroux brought up the Ireland-based group Kneecap, who have also faced criticism for their method to pro-Palestinian messaging.

"That's an interesting one," Vylan said, "since 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 already the enemy."