Julian Assange is currently undergoing trial but that hasn’t stopped his supporters from showing love and support for him during this Julian Assange extradition case.
The WikiLeaks founder recently appeared in front of a judge at Woolwich crown court. While his supporters were not allowed to enter the hall, their voices could be heard throughout the arena.
Fearing the noise could have a negative impact on the hearing, Vanessa Baraitser, the presiding judge, had sent staff members outside to request Assange’s supporters to reduce the noise but it did not make a difference to the Julian Assange case.
More About the Julian Assange Extradition Case
Assange was caught from the Ecuadorian embassy about 10 months ago after living inside the embassy for about seven years as he faced charges in Sweden of severe sex crimes that he has constantly denied.
The Australian publisher, activist, and editor who is popular for founding WikiLeaks in 2006 is a polarizing figure. The Ecuadorian authorities withdrew his asylum on 11 April 2019 due to a series of disputes.
The Day At The Court
Assange looked bedraggled and unkempt when he was dragged out of the embassy in April last year. However, the man who appeared in front of the judge appeared very different.
He wore an impressive gray sweater under a neat white shirt and sported a clean cut and a pair of reading glasses.
Supporters cheered for him and shouted slogans to show their allegiance. However, it was to no avail as James Lewis continued to press on, outlining why there was a need for the Australian publisher to get extradited to the US to face trial.
He’s facing 18 charges in the country including attempted breaches and hacking..
After hearing the case against him, Assange got up to thank his supporters outside the building and requested them to be silent as the noise was making it difficult for him to concentrate on the case.
“I am having difficulty concentrating and this noise is not helpful. I understand and am very appreciative of the public support. I do understand they must be disgusted by these proceedings,” he said.
Who Else Was Present At The Court
Assange’s friends and family members including his father and WikiLeaks reps were present in the gallery. In addition to this, 33 parliaments from 12 European nations were also present. These included some major countries like the UK, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Germany, the Czech Republic, Greece, Ireland, the Netherlands, Italy, Norway, and Spain.
They were a part of a monitoring group organized by Bridges for Media Freedom, a freedom of expression project.
In addition to this, dozens of gilet jaune protesters could be found outside the court. They had come all the way from Paris to make a statement.
“I am a yellow vest here to support because he did the best for all the world, for his courage,” said Jean-Baptiste Voltuan, 64.
Some popular names present included Vivienne Westwood, a known fashion. She protested wearing a headband that read “angel”. She was very vocal and spoke to the press present outside the court.
“I am Vivienne. I’m the angel of democracy. Nobody knows more about democracies than Julian Assange,” he said adding “It is not a crime to publish American war crimes. It’s in the public interest, it is democracy, that he is allowed to do this. I feel really worried and frightened actually, really frightened.”
What Else Happened at the Julian Assange Extradition Hearing
The proceedings continued silently as Lewis presented details about various events related to the Julian Assange case. It seems we’ll have to wait a while for the verdict.