🔗 Share this article

Punk duo frontman Bobby Vylan has stated he is "not regretful" about his "death, death to the IDF" performance at Glastonbury and declared he would "do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Disputed Exclamation and Political Responses

The vocal punk duo ignited significant debate when they led crowd chants of "down with the IDF," pointing to the IDF, during their June performance. This slogan was censured by festival organizers and Britain's leader the prime minister, who described it as "appalling hate speech."

After the event, the band was released by its agency UTA, and the US state department cancelled the artists' travel documents, forcing them to cancel a scheduled North American concert series.

Conversation with Louis Theroux

In his initial interview after the festival show, Vylan, whose birth name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, spoke on The Louis Theroux Podcast. After asked if he would repeat his actions, he responded:

"Absolutely. For instance what if I was to go on the festival again tomorrow, definitely I would do it again. I'm not regretful of it. I'd say it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

The artist noted that the backlash the duo faced was "minimal compared to what individuals in Gaza are experiencing."

Regarding the Protest's Importance

"I aim not to overstate the importance of the slogan," he elaborated. "That's not what I'm attempting to do, but since I have the Palestinian people's backing, they're 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 politician or some rightwing news outlet?"

Surprising Reaction and BBC Comments

The artist said he was taken aback by the uproar sparked by the chant, and asserted that staff of BBC employees at Glastonbury told him on the same day that the set was "fantastic."

However, the broadcaster's ECU later found that the BBC's airing of the performance violated editorial standards in relation to offense and hurt.

Vylan told the host there was no sign of a controversy in the moment: "It wasn't like we left stage, and everyone was like [gasps]. It felt normal. We come off stage. It was normal. No one suspected anything. Nobody. Even crew at the broadcaster were like 'That was fantastic! We loved that!'"

Response to Blur Frontman

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 described him as "marching in sport gear."

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

"I need to say that labeling it as a 'spectacular misfire' implies that somehow the politics of the duo or our position 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. "Precisely. And for him to use that language, I think is offensive. I think his response was appalling."

Meaning Behind the Chant

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

"What is important is the conditions that persist to allow that chant to even take place on that stage. And I mean, the circumstances that exist in Palestine. Where the Palestinian population are being killed at an alarming rate. What matters about the chant?" he said.

"The phrase rhymes," he added: "Stop the IDF' does not rhyme, wouldn't have caught on, would it? … We are there to perform. We are there to sing songs. I am a lyricist. 'The chant' rhymes. Perfect slogan."

Denial of Antisemitism Allegations

Vylan also rejected claims from the CST, a watchdog and Jewish community safety group, that their set contributed to a rise in anti-Jewish events reported two days.

"I don't think I have created an unsafe environment for the Jewish people. If there were large numbers of individuals going out and saying 'We made me do this'. I could go, oh, I've had a negative effect here," he said.

Contrast with Different Artists

As he said he felt the duo had been targeted more heavily than others for speaking about the conflict, Theroux referenced the Ireland-based group Kneecap, who have likewise faced backlash for their approach to pro-Palestine messaging.

"That's a notable point," he said, "because as with everything ethnicity comes to play a factor in that we are an more convenient villain, seriously, than they are because we are inherently the enemy."