Outside the Royal Courts of Justice

More photos here.

Members of Catholic Worker communities, Anonymous, Veterans for Peace, anti-war, freedom of information and Occupy London activists gathered outside the High Court, London in solidarity with Julian Assange on Wed. Nov 2nd.

Julian arrived just before 9am to be confronted by a huge international media pack. The legal proceedings ended by 10am with the High Court turning down the appeal against extradition to Sweden. Julian and his defence team are now considering their options. On exiting the court, Julian suggested accessing the Sweden Versus Assange website for information about the case.

It was really important that there was not just a pro-Assange presence outside the court, but one which kept the focus anti-war. Hundreds of news reports around the world referred to the banner: “Free Assange! Free Manning! End the Wars!”. Many reports also included quotes from/interviews with supporters. Photos showed placards and banners as the collateral murder web address which was on a couple of them. Quite a few reports went on to refer to Bradley Manning, having quoted the banner.

Elsewhere

Democracy Now interviewed Helena Kennedy, an attorney on Assange’s legal team. They also aired a statement made by Julian Assange in London.

The day before the court appearance Democracy Now spoke with Julian Assange’s Attorney Gareth Peirce. She described how we learn from history that those who upset the rich and powerful by revealing their dark secrets will be targeted and attacked. See the interview here.

See also:

Dispatches from the Dark Side. YouTube video. Gareth Peirce discusses Bradley Manning in connection with the US Prison system’s systematic human rights violations.

London Review of Books May 2010: America’s Non-Compliance in which Gareth Peirce presents the case against extradition.