Bobby Vylan Stance on Festival IDF Protest: "Zero Remorse"

Punk duo lead singer of Bob Vylan has stated he is "not regretful" about his "death, death to the IDF" act at the festival and declared he would "do it again tomorrow, twice on Sundays."

Disputed Chant and Official Reactions

This vocal punk duo sparked significant debate when they initiated crowd calls of "down with the IDF," referring to the IDF, during their June set. The chant was censured by festival organizers and Britain's leader the prime minister, who labeled it as "shocking hate speech."

Following the event, the band was released by its agency United Talent Agency, and the American state department cancelled the members' visas, compelling them to cancel a scheduled North American tour.

Conversation with Louis Theroux

During his first public discussion after the Glastonbury performance, Vylan, whose real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, spoke on a popular podcast. After asked if he would repeat his actions, he responded:

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

The artist added that the backlash the band encountered was "small compared to what individuals in Gaza are going through."

On the Protest's Importance

"I don't want to exaggerate the importance of the slogan," he continued. "It isn't what I'm attempting to do, but if I have their support, these are the individuals that I'm advocating for, these are the individuals that I'm being vocal for, then what is there to feel sorry about? Well, because I've upset some conservative politician or some conservative news outlet?"

Unexpected Reaction and Broadcaster Comments

The artist said he was taken aback by the uproar sparked by the chant, and stated that staff of the broadcaster staff at the event told him on the day that the performance was "excellent."

Yet, the broadcaster's ECU subsequently determined that the BBC's airing of the show breached content guidelines in relation to offense and hurt.

He told the host there was no sign of a dispute in the moment: "It wasn't like we came off stage, and everybody was like [gasps]. It's just normal. We leave stage. It was normal. Nobody thought anything. Not a soul. Including staff at the BBC were like 'It was fantastic! We enjoyed that!'"

Response to Damon Albarn

The musician also responded at Damon Albarn, who labeled the chant "a major misstep I've seen in my life" and described him as "goose-stepping in sport gear."

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

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

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

Meaning Behind the Chant

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

"What is important is the conditions that persist to permit that chant to even occur on that stage. And I mean, the conditions that exist in the region. Where the local people are being killed at an alarming rate. Who cares about the slogan?" he stated.

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

Rejection of Hate Speech Claims

The musician also denied assertions from the Community Security Trust, a monitoring and Jewish safety group, that their performance contributed to a spike in anti-Jewish incidents recorded later.

"I don't think I have caused an unsafe environment for the Jewish community. Suppose there were many individuals of people acting and saying 'Bob Vylan made me do this'. I could go, oof, I've had a negative effect here," he commented.

Comparison with Other Bands

When he mentioned he thought the duo had been targeted more severely than others for voicing views about the situation, Theroux referenced the Irish band another band, who have likewise faced backlash for their method to pro-Palestine messaging.

"That's an interesting one," he said, "since as with everything race comes to play a factor in that we are an more convenient target, seriously, than they are because we are inherently the enemy."

Rachel Gray
Rachel Gray

A seasoned gaming enthusiast with over a decade of experience in reviewing slot machines and sharing expert insights for UK audiences.