WikiLeaks founder is found guilty of breaching bail by Westminster magistrates
Police have forcibly removed the WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, from the Ecuadorian embassy in London and arrested him, after the Ecuadorian government withdrew asylum.
Appearing before Westminster magistrates, Assange was found guilty of breaching bail and was told he would face a jail sentence of up to 12 months when he is sentenced at crown court.
The 47-year-old had been taken into police custody for failing to surrender to bail and on a US extradition warrant, after Metropolitan police officers were invited into the Knightsbridge embassy. He had taken refuge there for almost seven years to avoid extradition to Sweden, where authorities wanted to question him as part of a sexual assault investigation.
He was being held on Thursday on a warrant issued by Westminster magistrates court on 29 June 2012, when he failed to surrender to the court.
Earlier, footage showed a bearded Assange shouting and gesticulating as he was carried out in handcuffs by plainclothes officers and put in a police van shortly after 10am.
Assange had refused to leave the embassy, claiming he would be extradited to the US for questioning over the activities of WikiLeaks.
Scotland Yard said: “The MPS [Metropolitan Police Service] has 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.”
Speaking to parliament, Theresa May thanked the Met and the Ecuadorian government and said: “This goes to show that in the United Kingdom no one is above the law.”
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Julian Assange arrested at Ecuadorian embassy in London https://t.co/48H7rpRD0G
— Guardian news (@guardiannews) April 11, 2019
BREAKING: #Assange removed from embassy – video pic.twitter.com/qsHy7ZVPg5
— Ruptly (@Ruptly) April 11, 2019
Oh, it will wind up in the history books, alright, but not for the reason you suggest.
How are you finding Moscow, by the way? Are the beets fresh? https://t.co/nVUeQJuPFW
— Greg Olear (@gregolear) April 11, 2019
He’s an “award winning journalist” like you’re a “whistleblower”#traitor #spy #EnemyOfTheState https://t.co/temRhKvvMx
— The Grey Man (@IntelOperator) April 11, 2019
Snowden should pray for Putin's good health.
— Richard M. Nixon (@dick_nixon) April 11, 2019
Ecuador's president Lenin Moreno released a punchy statement:
– Assange “violated norm” of not interfering in other state’s affairs
– Assange was “discourteous” and “aggressive”
– Assange installed “distortion equipment” in the embassyhttps://t.co/XIOwXy7XnX— Mark Di Stefano 🤙🏻 (@MarkDiStef) April 11, 2019
"And you're doing it wrong… here, let us show you," they might have added. https://t.co/WEEb7xExws
— Bobby Ghosh (@ghoshworld) April 11, 2019
BIG: AP reports Assange’s lawyer says his arrest was accompanied by a US extradition request. https://t.co/bC7kUBt3U9
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) April 11, 2019
Question: "Should the President have praised [Julian Assange] as a candidate?"
Sen. Lindsey Graham: "That's up to the president." pic.twitter.com/u6wj6CIjMl
— The Hill (@thehill) April 11, 2019
Trump 2016: “I love Wikileaks.”
Trump 2019: “I know nothing about Wikileaks.”— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) April 11, 2019
Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, charged in computer hacking conspiracy. Click here for copy of the indictment: https://t.co/9JItxR6VRX
— U.S. Attorney EDVA (@EDVAnews) April 11, 2019
The reasons behind her 2016 campaign couldn’t be clearer. https://t.co/rgPtI59Akv
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) April 11, 2019
Except he’s neither an American nor a journalist https://t.co/jESyBSmkhe
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahNRO) April 12, 2019
I think it’s mostly telling people not to try and hack the Pentagon’s computer network. https://t.co/YrR6XbpzpH
— Ben (@BenHowe) April 12, 2019
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