Protesters stormed the stage at a Q&A with Secretary of State Antony Blinken Wednesday to call for the freeing of Julian Assange.
Two protesters could be seen taking the stage at The Washington Post’s world press freedom day event, where columnist David Ignatius was interviewing Blinken about press freedom and current global events. One of the protesters held a sign saying “Free Julian Assange” with the name Code Pink at the bottom, a woman-led left-wing anti-militarism organization.
Pro-Assange protesters storm the stage as Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks at a press freedom event hosted by the Washington Post @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/veEQXKWTI7
— Dylan Housman (@Dylan_Housman) May 3, 2023
“Excuse us, we can’t use this day without calling for the freedom of Julian Assange,” the woman said before she was quickly apprehended by security and the audio feed from the event was cut. When the audio returns, the woman can be heard yelling for the Biden administration to drop its extradition request for Julian Assange as she is dragged off the stage.
Another protester is heard shouting about Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American journalist who was killed by Israeli Defense Forces during a raid last year.
Blinken urges security to “take it easy” with the woman as they are dragging her away before he returns to his interview. (RELATED: ‘Outrageous And Inappropriate’: Mike Pompeo, CIA Sued For Allegedly Spying On Julian Assange’s Lawyers)
Assange, the founder of Wikileaks who helped publish leaked security documents from Bradley Manning in 2010, faces a number of charges in the United States for violating the Espionage Act. Assange is currently imprisoned in the United Kingdom for violating the Bail Act when he fled authorities and sought asylum at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, and is facing extradition proceedings from the United States.