A Glastonbury rally calling on people to challenge the rise of far-right narratives and unite against hate will be held at the Market Cross this Friday (26 April).

The event, organised by Community Solidarity Glastonbury in conjunction with Glastonbury Independent Alliance, will run from 11am to 1pm and aims to bring people together in solidarity against scapegoating, division and what organisers describe as a "creeping fascism".

"We are all struggling," said a spokesperson for the event. "The cost of living crisis is biting hard. Many of us are choosing between food and heat. People can't afford rent. The planet is burning. It's natural to want stability – to want hope for the future."

"But we are being told to blame each other. Immigrants, disabled people, Muslims, women, trans people – anyone who can be painted as 'other'. It's all a distraction. We're being played."

Campaigners say the rally is a response to growing efforts to stir fear and strip back rights, often under the guise of protecting freedoms. They say the tactics being used echo political strategies of 1930s Europe and must not go unchallenged.

The event will begin with a half-hour of music and performance, including sets from John D Revelator and Lady Amp, followed by speeches from union representatives, LGBT+ groups, activists, and Glastonbury's local imam. The rally will close with more music and singing, finishing at 1pm.

Speakers will address a range of issues, from workers' rights and the NHS to the recent tightening of legal definitions around gender, which campaigners say serves only to divide communities and distract from deeper systemic problems.

"There are shocking parallels with the 1930s. We can't ignore that," the organiser added. "We must not sleepwalk into fascism."

Everyone is welcome to attend the rally. Organisers are calling on Glastonbury residents to come together, challenge hate, and reject the politics of fear and blame.