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

Controversial Exclamation and Political Reactions

The outspoken punk duo sparked significant debate when they initiated audience calls of "death, death to the IDF," referring to the IDF, during their June set. The chant was condemned by festival organizers and Britain's leader the prime minister, who labeled it as "appalling hate speech."

After the incident, the band was dropped by its agency United Talent Agency, and the US government revoked the artists' visas, compelling them to cancel a scheduled North American concert series.

Interview with Louis Theroux

During his initial public discussion after the festival show, Vylan, whose birth name is Pascal Foster, conversed on a popular podcast. When asked if he would repeat his actions, he replied:

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

He added that the backlash the band faced was "minimal compared to what individuals in Gaza are going through."

Regarding the Protest's Importance

"I aim not to overstate the significance of the slogan," he elaborated. "That's not what I'm trying to do, but since I have their support, these are the people that I'm doing it for, these are the people that I'm being vocal for, then what is there to feel sorry about? Oh, because I've upset some rightwing official or some rightwing news outlet?"

Surprising Reaction and BBC Comments

This musician claimed he was taken aback by the uproar triggered by the exclamation, and stated that staff of BBC employees at the event told him on the same day that the performance was "excellent."

However, the corporation's ECU subsequently found that the BBC's airing of the show violated content standards in regard to offense and offence.

He told the host there was no indication of a dispute in the moment: "It didn't feel like we came off stage, and everyone was like [shocked]. It's just normal. We come off stage. It was normal. Nobody suspected anything. Nobody. Including crew at the BBC were like 'That was fantastic! We enjoyed that!'"

Reply to Blur Frontman

Vylan also hit back at Damon Albarn, who labeled the chant "one of the most spectacular misfires I've seen in my life" and characterized Vylan as "goose-stepping in tennis gear."

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

"I need to say that categorising it as a 'spectacular misfire' suggests that somehow the politics of the band or our position on Palestinian liberation is unplanned," he explained.

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

Meaning Behind the Slogan

After asked what he meant by the chant "Death to the IDF," Vylan said the chant itself was "insignificant."

"What is important is the conditions that exist to permit that protest to even occur on that platform. And I mean, the circumstances that are present in the region. In which the Palestinian people are being killed at an disturbing rate. What matters about the chant?" he stated.

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

Rejection of Antisemitism Allegations

The musician also rejected assertions from the CST, a monitoring and Jewish community safety group, that their set contributed to a spike in antisemitic events recorded later.

"I believe I have created an unsafe environment for the Jewish people. If there were many individuals of individuals going out and going like 'We made me do this'. I could go, oh, I've had a bad effect here," he commented.

Contrast with Different Bands

When he mentioned he felt the band had been criticised more severely than different artists for voicing views about the situation, the host referenced the Irish group another band, who have likewise faced backlash for their approach to pro-Palestine advocacy.

"That's a notable point," Vylan said, "because as with everything ethnicity comes to play a part in that we are an more convenient villain, seriously, than they are because we are already the opponent."