WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been arrested by the Metropolitan Police Service. Assange had been living at the Ecuadorian embassy for seven years as an asylum seeker. A press release issued by the Met said he was arrested after the Ecuadorian government withdrew this asylum.
According to the Met, the arrest was made on a warrant issued on 29 June 2012. It claims Assange was arrested for failure to surrender to the court.
Assange is now in custody at a central London police station. He will stay there until a hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court. According to the Met, this will take place “as soon as is possible”.
WikiLeaks confirmed the arrest on Twitter:
URGENT: Ecuador has illigally terminated Assange political asylum in violation of international law. He was arrested by the British police inside the Ecuadorian embassy minutes ago.https://t.co/6Ukjh2rMKD
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) April 11, 2019
It also claimed that British police were invited into the embassy:
URGENT
Julian Assange did not "walk out of the embassy". The Ecuadorian ambassador invited British police into the embassy and he was immediately arrested.
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) April 11, 2019
Video clips emerged showing Assange as he was taken from the embassy:
https://twitter.com/barnabynerberka/status/1116275982518898688
More updates on this story to follow.
