A Chant of Hate
'I'd Shout it Again': The Anti-Israel Chant That Got Bob Vylan Banned from America
British punk-rap duo's frontman stands by controversial "Death to the IDF" chant at Glastonbury Festival, despite losing US visa and management, claiming no regrets for his actions.
The controversy surrounding British punk-rap duo Bob Vylan has reignited after the band's frontman staunchly defended leading a crowd in chants of "Death to the IDF" at the Glastonbury Festival earlier this year, expressing "no regrets at all."
The shocking comments were made during an interview on the podcast of prominent British journalist Louis Theroux, months after the incident led to significant backlash, including the loss of their US touring visa and their management agency dropping them.
Zero Regrets for the Call
When directly asked by Theroux if he would repeat the inflammatory call, the Bob Vylan vocalist was unequivocally defiant.
"Oh, yeah," he answered without hesitation. "Like, if I was playing Glastonbury tomorrow, yeah, I'd do it. I don't regret it. I'd do it again tomorrow and twice on Sundays. I don't regret it at all."
The original incident occurred in late June during the band's performance, which was broadcast live by the BBC, drawing widespread condemnation from various figures and organizations. Following the initial uproar, the band reportedly attempted to shut down similar chants at a subsequent concert to "avoid trouble."
'Minimal' Consequences vs. Palestinian Suffering
The controversial musician dismissed the professional fallout he experienced, arguing it was trivial compared to the plight of Palestinians.
"The backlash I got, it's minimal," he continued. "It's minimal in relation to what people are going through in Palestine."
He framed his actions as a necessary contribution to the cause he supports, stating:
"If that can be my contribution, and if my Palestinian friends and people I've met from Palestine, who have been forced to flee their homes and have lost a double-digit number of their relatives, if they can say, 'Hey, the chants you did, I liked them.'
While acknowledging the limited impact of his words, the frontman emphasized his motivation:
"Those are the people I'm raising a voice for, so what do I have to regret? Because I annoyed a politician or a right-wing media outlet?"
Furthermore, he argued that the media storm generated by the outcry had a positive effect:
"I think the conversation around that chant created a discussion in the media about whether it's right or not. Whether it's right to say such a thing, and it gave a platform for people to focus on Gaza, on the people of Palestine. It gave that discussion new life."