Copenhagen, DENMARK – Protesters gathered outside the British Embassy Tuesday to protest the proposed extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
The two-day hearing in London could be the final decision on his extradition to the United States to face charges of espionage involving the publishing of secret American security documents on WikiLeaks.
Assange’s case is the subject of a court hearing in London that may determine if he is going to be extradited.
Assange, who is currently being held in Belmarsh Prison in the UK, is facing 175 years in prison.
About a dozen members of the public came together Tuesday evening to protest the case, demanding the government free Assange.
This demonstration, which was completely peaceful, was held outside of the British Embassy with police present.
Lau Mortensen, coordinator of the protest, said if Assange were extradited it would set “a dangerous precedence.”
“Journalism is my passion,” Mortensen said.
Maylis Andignac, who works in Finance Energy and is from France, said she attended because she strongly believes in freedom of speech and she believes that Julian Assange is “paying his life.”
Andignac also said that what he leaked was in the public’s interest.
Susanne Petersen, who is retired and lives a short distance away in Southern Sjaelland, said this is not fair and that one should be able to share their views even if it has to do with war.
Petersen also said what Assange did was in the best interest of the public and not for money.
Alice Iversen, a nurse in Copenhagen, said she planned to travel to London today to protest outside the court.
This is a high priority for Iversen, who said she has been following this story for three years. She said it is important to protest this because she believes the mainstream media is censoring certain things, such as the affects of the Covid vaccine.
The protest was peaceful, and the attendees wrote messages to the British Embassy on the sidewalk in chalk, stood holding posters and conversed among themselves on what they see as an important topic.
Noah Haynes is a Junior Reporter with Youth Journalism International.
