Bob Vylan Stance on Festival Israel Defense Forces Protest: "Zero Regrets"

The frontman of Bob Vylan has stated he is "without regret" about his "anti-IDF chant" performance at Glastonbury and declared he would "repeat it tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Disputed Chant and Official Reactions

The outspoken music pair ignited significant controversy when they led audience calls of "down with the IDF," pointing to the IDF, during their summer performance. This slogan was censured by Glastonbury and UK Prime Minister the prime minister, who labeled it as "appalling hate speech."

Following the incident, the band was released by its representation UTA, and the American government cancelled the members' visas, forcing the duo to call off a planned US and Canada concert series.

Interview with the Podcaster

During his initial interview since the Glastonbury performance, the musician, using his birth name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, spoke on The Louis Theroux Podcast. After questioned if he would do it all again, he replied:

"Oh yeah. For instance what if I was to perform at Glastonbury again tomorrow, yes I would do it again. I'm not regretful of it. I'd say it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

He added that the backlash the duo encountered was "small compared to what people in Gaza are going through."

On the Chant's Importance

"I aim not to overstate the importance of the slogan," he elaborated. "That's not what I'm trying to do, but since I have the Palestinian people's support, these are the individuals that I'm advocating for, they're the people that I'm being vocal for, then what is there to regret? Well, because I've angered some conservative official or some rightwing news outlet?"

Unexpected Reaction and BBC Comments

This musician claimed he was taken aback by the uproar triggered by the exclamation, and asserted that staff of the broadcaster employees at Glastonbury told him on the same day that the performance was "fantastic."

However, the corporation's executive complaints unit subsequently found that the network's airing of the show breached content guidelines in relation to offense and offence.

He told Theroux there was no indication of a controversy in the moment: "It didn't feel like we left stage, and everybody was like [shocked]. It's just normal. We leave stage. It was normal. No one thought anything. Nobody. Including crew at the broadcaster were like 'It was fantastic! We enjoyed that!'"

Response to Blur Frontman

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

His reaction was "letdown" and "showed no self-awareness," he said.

"I just want to say that categorising it as a 'huge mistake' suggests that in some way the politics of the duo or our position on Palestine's freedom is unplanned," he stated.

"I take great issue with the term 'marching' being used because it's typically associated around the Nazis," he continued. "Precisely. And for him to use that language, I think is offensive. I think his answer was appalling."

Intent Behind the Chant

After asked what he intended by the phrase "Down with the IDF," the artist said the chant itself was "unimportant."

"The key issue is the conditions that persist to permit that protest to even take place on that platform. And I mean, the circumstances that exist in Palestine. In which the local people are being slain at an disturbing rate. What matters about the slogan?" he stated.

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

Denial of Antisemitism Claims

The musician also rejected assertions from the Community Security Trust, a monitoring and Jewish safety organisation, that their performance contributed to a spike in antisemitic events reported later.

"I believe I have created an unsafe atmosphere for the Jewish community. If there were many individuals of people acting and saying 'We made me do this'. I could go, oof, I've had a negative effect here," he commented.

Contrast with Different Bands

As Vylan said he thought the duo had been criticised more heavily than different artists for voicing views about the conflict, Theroux referenced the Irish group another band, who have likewise encountered criticism for their approach to pro-Palestine messaging.

"That's an interesting one," he responded, "since as with all things race becomes a part in that we are an more convenient villain, no pun intended, than others are because we are inherently the opponent."