Rise Festival

Originally organised as an anti-racism festival by the Trades Union Congress (TUC), it was revived as such by the former mayor of London, Ken Livingstone.

[1] In June 2008, the Greater London Authority, under newly elected mayor Boris Johnson, removed the anti-racist message of the festival.

[citation needed] The original event took part in Finsbury Park and featured artists Chumbawamba, Fun-Da-Mental, Asian Dub Foundation and Incognito.

In 1997, the featured musicians were Luciano, Audioweb, the Fun Lovin' Criminals and Dreadzone and the event took place in Victoria Park, Hackney.

[citation needed] The 2008 festival saw headliner Jimmy Cliff cut off during his set when it overran past the 8:30 pm curfew time, with the sound system switched off halfway through a performance of "Rivers of Babylon", causing him and the band to leave the stage in silence.

CSS at the 2008 Rise festival
The London United Festival, July 2005
Ammy Coco From Togo at the festival in 2005