London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

‘Free Assange’: Corbyn joins protesters demanding release of Assange as US extradition appeal reaches London’s High Court

‘Free Assange’: Corbyn joins protesters demanding release of Assange as US extradition appeal reaches London’s High Court

Protesters, including former opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn, have demanded the release of Julian Assange outside London’s High Court as a preliminary hearing concerning a US appeal to extradite the WikiLeaks co-founder begins.

Scores gathered outside the Royal Courts of Justice in central London on Wednesday morning as a legal challenge made by the US government reached Britain’s top magistrates. The appeal looks to overturn a January ruling which stated that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange could not be extradited to the US.

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was among those present outside the court. He described Assange as a “great, fearless journalist” and demanded his freedom, adding that he and the other protesters would return time and time again to continue making their calls.

Corbyn said that people should always highlight the truth and that our freedoms come from people who have done this.

While talking to RT, he claimed that internet companies are often complicit with governments, adding, “That’s power.”


"I think the internet issue is not a simple one; I want the freedom to be able to communicate with people and I don’t need to be moderated by Rupert Murdoch or any other global news corporation. But I do not want it to be populated by racist, abusive people."


Speaking shortly afterwards, Assange’s partner, Stella Moris told the gathered press that she had seen her fiancé in Belmarsh Prison on Tuesday. Moris said that Assange and herself were allowed to embrace for the first time in 17 months. “Julian has been denied the love and affection of his family for so long; Julian and the kids will never get this time back.”

Protesters held signs and banners aloft reading, “Free Assange NOW” and “FBI Witnesses Lied,” referencing a report that witness Sigurdur Ingi Thordarson admitted to an Icelandic newspaper that he fabricated his testimony to gain immunity. One person, seemingly dressed as the grim reaper, repetitively took a megaphone and demanded people look up ‘Thordarson lied’.

On Tuesday, Amnesty International called on US President Joe Biden to drop the charges against Assange, labelling them “politically motivated.”

“This attempt by the US government to get the court to reverse its decision not to allow Julian Assange’s extradition on the basis of new diplomatic assurances, is a blatant legal sleight of hand,” Amnesty International Europe Director Nils Muižnieks stated.

The WikiLeaks co-founder has been imprisoned at Her Majesty’s Prison Belmarsh, a maximum-security jail in London, since April 2019. His jailing started after the Ecuadorian government discontinued its offer of asylum; Assange had been holed up in the nation’s London embassy for seven years.

Assange has remained at the maximum-security prison despite the judge’s January ruling that he could not be removed to the US to face espionage and hacking charges because of mental health concerns.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×