‘US-UK Hands off Assange!’ said demonstators in Parliament Square before several thousand made a human chain around the Houses of Parliament on Saturday.
‘There’s only one decision – no extradition!
‘Free Julian Assange!
The 51-year-old activist is facing extradition to face trial for allegedly violating the US espionage act by publishing classified military and diplomatic files in 2010, related to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He is currently appealing against a decision to extradite him to the US.
His wife, Stella Assange, urged the British government to speak with the US authorities to put an end to his extradition.
‘It’s already gone on for three-and-a-half years. It is a stain on the United Kingdom and is a stain on the Biden administration,’ she said.
She said the human chain had been organised because Parliament was the ‘seat of democracy’ and that Assange represented ‘democracy at its strongest – government accountability and democratic movement.’
She stressed: ‘It is to remind people that this is a political case, and his imprisonment is politically motivated.’
She added that it had been ‘energising’ for Assange to know that he had support. ‘It gives him huge moral support to know that people haven’t forgotten him, rather that they are waking up to the enormous injustice this is,’ she said.
News Line spoke to some of the protesters taking part in the Free Julian Assange Campaign event.
Freelance photographer Pietro Fodaro from Falkirk, Scotland, said: ‘I came this morning for the human chain to free Julian Assange.
‘I’m here to protest against this injustice.
‘It’s a threat to every journalist, to everyone, to freedom of information to know what governments do.
‘The establishment doesn’t want the truth to be exposed, to protect the war criminals.
‘Julian Assange’s persecution shows justice in not equal to everyone.
‘Workers’ unions should take action.
‘The trade unions should call a general strike to bring the UK government down.
‘But this should be done against all the governments in the West.
‘They support the rich class that dominates economies.’
Support worker Monica Jones from Lydney, Gloucestershire, told News Line: ‘I want Julian Assange to be free.
‘He shouldn’t be locked up or deported to the US.
‘He’s a very courageous individual. He stood up for the truth about outrageous war crimes like killing people.
‘America don’t want it to be broadcast. They go into countries and make them in debt and supply arms.
‘America is the enemy, not Russia. Labour leader Keir Starmer was instrumental in stopping Julian being released.
‘I agree with having a general strike to free Julian. ‘Everybody should stop because the system doesn’t work.’
As the human chain developed around Parliament, one impromtu speaker declared: ‘Julian has not committed a crime, he’s done nothing wrong.
‘The UK government and the US government have committed crimes.
‘Julian told the truth. He should not be banged up. The moment he hits the US, he’ll be killed.
‘It’s up to all of us to free him.’
He called out: ‘Let’s have a song.’ The crowd sang: ‘All we are saying – is free Julian Assange.’
News Line spoke to several of the protesters outside Parliament.
Retired teacher Julie Hauseman from North Yorkshire, said: ‘I came down today to support the human chain fighting for the freedom of Julian Assange.
‘The fact that Julian Assange is in Belmarsh Prison with no charge against him is a stain on our government and our so-called democracy.
‘We want Julian to be freed and not extradited. There’ll be no justice in America.
‘I lived in New York for years and we went to plays about people who are incarcerated yet innocent.
‘And I’m afraid our Labour leader Keir Starmer did everything when he was DPP against Julian Assange.
‘He pushed Sweden to continue prosecuting Julian Assange yet was lenient to Jimmy Savile. The trade unions should take action if it helps.’
Lorena Corrias from Como said: ‘A group of us are from Free Assange Italia. It’s a huge injustice. I don’t want to live in a world where Julian Assange is in jail.
‘I will not accept any decision except free Julian Assange. He gave a voice to the person that did not have one, like the person who is in Guantanamo.
‘He also spoke for the people who were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
‘He needs to be free because he is not a criminal. The system is corrupted. He is a political prisoner. He exposed what the establishment wanted to keep hidden.
‘The workers should rise up and get rid of these governments and their wars.’
Retired journalist Sheila Miller declared: ‘I think it’s an absolute disgrace that our government is still toadying to the US and helping to cover up its war crimes.
‘Assange has committed no crimes and should never have been in jail in the first place.
‘He’s just done what the best journalists do: revealing crimes that a rich and powerful nation wants to hide.
‘The US has never extradited anyone to another country, not even Anne Sacoolas who caused the death of that young man on his motorcycle.
‘Yet the US expects everyone else to dance to its tune.
‘The UK unions should take action against the Tory government for going along with it.’
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was in the human chain along with former Unite union leader Len McCluskey.
Corbyn said: ‘Julian Assange deserves a place in history. He stood up for truth.
‘He told the truth about the wars we’ve experienced in the past ten years.’
News Line asked: ‘Should the trade unions intervene?’
McCluskey interjected in a joking manner: ‘We should call a general strike.’
Our reporter replied to that: ‘We’ll be there at the TUC to demand it calls a general strike.’
Corbyn continued: ‘The persecution of Julian will affect journalists. Because if they are told information they will be worried about reporting it.
‘The extradition decision ultimately is taken by the Home Secretary. The new Home Secretary wants to abrogate from the European Court of Human Rights.
‘Julian’s defence is being carried out by the ECHR case.’
Comedian Russell Brand was taking part in the protest but declined to speak to News Line.
Sixth Form student Marco Roberts (17) from east London told News Line: ‘I’m here for Julian Assange because of the injustice.
‘The US and UK carried out horrendous war crimes. They attacked medical facilities and civilians in general.
‘In Abu Ghraib prison compound, US soldiers raped and sexually tortured dozens of civilian inmates.
‘It’s a huge injustice that Julian Assange is in prison for uncovering things that those in power should be in prison for.
‘The unions should take general strike action. Ideally, workers should take power and form their own government and go for socialism.’
