Biden Secretary of State Antony Blinken was ambushed by free speech demonstrators calling for the release of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on World Press Freedom Day.
Blinken was being interviewed by The Washington Post’s David Ignatius on Wednesday over the merits of freeing Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich from Russian detainment when a pair of demonstrators holding “Free Julian Assange” placards walked onto the stage calling for the U.S. to cancel its impending extradition of Assange.
“Excuse me, we can’t use this day without calling for the freedom of Julian Assange,” one demonstrator told the audience.
BREAKING: Demonstrators Disrupt @SecBlinken‘s interview, Call for Julian Assange’s Release on World Press Freedom Day pic.twitter.com/iU8V15MYv1
— Simon Ateba (@simonateba) May 3, 2023
Security personnel quickly overcame the pair and dragged them away as one tried clinging to Blinken’s chair with her foot.
Blinken quickly stood up and told the security guards, “Take it easy. Take it easy, guys.”
Ironically, as the demonstrators were being dragged out of the room, Ignatius declared with a chuckle, “We’re here to celebrate freedom of expression and we just experienced it. Let me continue Mr. Secretary to ask you about Evan Gershkovich and your efforts to get him free…”
The U.K. approved the extradition of Assange to the U.S. last year, but it’s unclear exactly when that will take place as the extradition request is under appeal.
On World Press Freedom Day our thoughts are with the many journalists who suffer severe consequences for their work
In particular we think of our own Julian Assange, detained for more than 13 years and facing a 175 year sentence if extradited to the US for revealing war crimes… pic.twitter.com/YKl0LRUBze
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) May 3, 2023
The U.S. government charged Assange with 17 counts of violating the Espionage Act for publishing classified material in 2010 exposing war crimes it committed during the Iraq War.
Watch the full Blinken interview:
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