Julian Assange arrested by British police
Julian Assange has been arrested by British police at the Ecuadorian embassy in London.
Ecuador has officially terminated the political asylum of the Wikileaks founder.
After spending seven years holed up in the London embassy, he was dramatically carried out by police.
How niche media outlet Ruptly became the only news organization with video of Julian Assange’s arrest https://t.co/HoIQVUj0nJ pic.twitter.com/dWFGdmSHm2
— CNN International (@cnni) April 11, 2019
Assange fled to the embassy in 2012, when he was facing charges of sexual assault in Sweden.
He has faced court in London, where he was found guilty of breaching bail in 2012.
He is also wanted by the US for leaking classified government documents on Wikileaks.
Assange is set to front court again on May 2 in regards to the US extradition request.
Former Liberal MP Ross Cameron tells Luke Grant that Australia should be supporting Assange.
“What we are seeing in Assange is a guy who is the first who has come forward… with an alternative to the vested interest mongering which passes for journalism.
“This is an Australian who, in my judgement, is the most gutsy, heroic figure since Monash, since the Second World War.”
Click PLAY below to hear the full interview
Full statement from the Metropolitan Police:
“Julian Assange, 47, (03.07.71) has today, Thursday 11 April, been arrested by officers from the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) at the Embassy of Ecuador, Hans Crescent, SW1 on a warrant issued by Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 29 June 2012, for failing to surrender to the court.
He has been taken into custody at a central London police station where he will remain, before being presented before Westminster Magistrates’ Court as soon as is possible.
The MPS had a duty to execute the warrant, on behalf of Westminster Magistrates’ Court, and was invited into the embassy by the Ambassador, following the Ecuadorian government’s withdrawal of asylum.”
Julian Assange has been arrested by officers from the Metropolitan Police Service https://t.co/yhOIPbmMo2 pic.twitter.com/dUrDp228In
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) April 11, 2019
URGENT
Julian Assange did not “walk out of the embassy”. The Ecuadorian ambassador invited British police into the embassy and he was immediately arrested.
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) April 11, 2019