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The frontman of Bob Vylan has stated he is "not regretful" about his "anti-IDF chant" performance at the festival and asserted he would "repeat it tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Controversial Exclamation and Political Responses

This vocal music pair sparked significant controversy when they led crowd chants of "down with the IDF," pointing to the Israel Defense Forces, during their summer set. The slogan was condemned by festival organizers and UK Prime Minister the prime minister, who described it as "shocking hate speech."

After the incident, the band was dropped by its agency UTA, and the American government cancelled the artists' travel documents, compelling the duo to call off a planned North American concert series.

Interview with Louis Theroux

During his first interview after the festival performance, Vylan, using his birth name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, conversed on The Louis Theroux Podcast. After questioned if he would do it all again, he responded:

"Absolutely. Like what if I was to go on the festival again tomorrow, yes I would repeat it. I'm not regretful of it. I'd say it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

He added that the criticism the duo faced was "small compared to what people in Palestine are going through."

Regarding the Chant's Significance

"I aim not to exaggerate the importance of the chant," he elaborated. "It isn't what I'm attempting to do, but if I have their backing, these are the people that I'm advocating for, they're the individuals that I'm being vocal for, then what is there to regret? Oh, because I've angered some conservative official or some rightwing media?"

Surprising Reaction and Broadcaster Comments

The artist said he was surprised by the uproar sparked by the chant, and stated that staff of BBC employees at the event told him on the day that the set was "excellent."

Yet, the broadcaster's executive complaints unit later determined that the network's broadcast of the performance breached content standards in regard to offense and offence.

Vylan informed the host there was no indication of a controversy in the immediate aftermath: "It wasn't like we came off stage, and everybody was like [gasps]. It's just normal. We come off stage. It was normal. Nobody suspected anything. Not a soul. Including staff at the broadcaster were like 'It was fantastic! We loved that!'"

Response to Blur Frontman

The musician also hit back at Damon Albarn, who labeled the chant "a major misstep I've witnessed in my life" and described him as "marching in tennis gear."

Albarn's reaction was "letdown" and "lacked 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 Palestinian liberation is not thought out," he explained.

"I take great issue with the term 'goose-stepping' being used because it's typically associated around Nazi Germany," he added. "That's it. And for him to use that language, I think is offensive. I think his response was disgusting."

Meaning Behind the Slogan

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

"The key issue is the conditions that exist to allow that chant to even take place on that platform. And I mean, the conditions that are present in the region. Where the Palestinian people are being killed at an disturbing rate. What matters about the chant?" he said.

"Death to the IDF rhymes," he noted: "Stop the IDF' does not rhyme, wouldn't have caught on, would it? … We are there to perform. We are there to play music. I am a songwriter. 'Death, Death to IDF' rhymes. Perfect slogan."

Denial of Hate Speech Claims

Vylan also rejected assertions from the Community Security Trust, a watchdog and Jewish safety organisation, that their set contributed to a rise in anti-Jewish incidents reported two days.

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

Contrast with Other Bands

As he mentioned he felt the band had been criticised more heavily than different artists for speaking about the conflict, the host brought up the Ireland-based band Kneecap, who have likewise faced criticism for their method to pro-Palestinian messaging.

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