Tonight, a candle light vigil was held outside Sydney Town Hall to bring attention to the plight of Julian Assange, who is currently incarcerated in a British prison with the threat of extradition to the United States hanging over his head. There were simultaneous vigils held in different cities around the world, coinciding with Assange’s 48th birthday.
Speakers in Sydney warned that Assange was being used as a scapegoat and as a warning to whistleblowers and journalists wanting to expose abuses of power and corruption at all levels. The AFP raids on the ABC were cited as an example of how the shift towards the stifling of press freedoms was gaining pace. And the media themselves were criticised for their lack of support for Assange.
MC for the night was artist, Hellen Rose. Other speakers included journalist Wendy Bacon, clinical psychologist, Lissa Johnston, long-time family friend of Assange, Rebecca McGlone and Socialist Equity Party representative, Linda Tenenbaum.
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