🔗 Share this article

The lead singer Bobby Vylan has expressed he is "not regretful" about his "anti-IDF chant" performance at the festival and asserted he would "repeat it tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Controversial Chant and Political Responses

This outspoken music pair ignited widespread controversy when they initiated crowd calls of "death, death to the IDF," pointing to the IDF, during their June performance. This slogan was censured by Glastonbury and UK Prime Minister the prime minister, who described it as "shocking hate speech."

Following the incident, the band was dropped by its agency United Talent Agency, and the American state department revoked the artists' visas, forcing the duo to call off a planned North American concert series.

Interview with the Podcaster

During his first public discussion after the Glastonbury show, the musician, using his birth name is Pascal Foster, conversed on a popular podcast. After questioned if he would repeat his actions, he replied:

"Absolutely. Like what if I was to go on 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."

The artist noted that the criticism the band encountered was "small compared to what people in Gaza are going through."

On the Chant's Importance

"I don't want to exaggerate the importance of the slogan," he elaborated. "It isn't what I'm attempting to do, but if I have their backing, they're the individuals that I'm advocating for, they're the individuals that I'm being vocal for, then what is there to feel sorry about? Oh, because I've angered some rightwing politician or some conservative news outlet?"

Unexpected Response and Broadcaster Feedback

The musician said he was taken aback by the uproar sparked by the exclamation, and stated that staff of BBC staff at the event told him on the same day that the performance was "fantastic."

However, the broadcaster's ECU subsequently found that the network's airing of the performance breached content guidelines in relation to offense and offence.

Vylan told the host there was no sign of a dispute in the moment: "It didn't feel like we left stage, and everyone was like [gasps]. It's just normal. We come off stage. It's normal. Nobody suspected anything. Not a soul. Including staff at the broadcaster were like 'That was fantastic! We loved that!'"

Response to Damon Albarn

The musician also responded 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 "letdown" and "lacked self-awareness," Vylan said.

"I need to say that labeling it as a 'spectacular misfire' implies that in some way the views of the duo or our position on Palestinian liberation is not thought out," he stated.

"I take great issue with the phrase 'goose-stepping' being used because it's only used around the Nazis," he continued. "Precisely. And for him to use that language, I think is offensive. I think his response was appalling."

Meaning Behind the Chant

After asked what he meant by the phrase "Death to the IDF," the artist said the chant itself was "unimportant."

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

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

Rejection of Antisemitism Claims

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

"I believe I have caused an hostile atmosphere for the Jewish community. Suppose there were large numbers of individuals acting and saying 'We made me do this'. I might go, oof, I've had a negative impact here," he commented.

Contrast with Other Artists

When he said he thought the band had been criticised more heavily than others for speaking about the situation, Theroux referenced the Irish group another band, who have likewise faced criticism for their approach to pro-Palestinian messaging.

"That's a notable point," Vylan responded, "because as with everything ethnicity becomes a part in that we are an easier target, no pun intended, than they are because we are already the opponent."