Heh. There is nothing like Twitter to keep you entertained while waiting for news!
As Twitchy reported, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is set to speak outside of the Ecuadorian embassy in London today. He has been “under protection” of the embassy since June.
The U.K. Foreign Office believes that they have the right to arrest Assange once he steps outside.
At the embassy waiting to hear #assange speak. It's crawling with cops here.
— Laurie Penny (@PennyRed) August 19, 2012
And while waiting? Twitter users amuse themselves.
Hope Assange's speech outside the Embassy is a painfully detailed version of the sexual encounters, smoking a cigarette, dressed as Magneto.
— Frankie Boyle (@frankieboyle) August 19, 2012
Looking forward to friend Julian Assange's Evita moment from embassy balcony today. Hoping 4 rendition of "Don't cry for me Australia."
— Kathy Lette (@KathyLette) August 19, 2012
Dear Mr Assange. Shaaaaaaat aaaaaaap. No one cares. No one. (except the media but they don't count) Love, the human race. X (media excepted)
— Now Civvy Alex (@ExRAFairman) August 19, 2012
https://twitter.com/gracedent/status/237098047199391744
https://twitter.com/_TomMcLaughlin/status/237118586043379712
Crowd getting excited at Ecuadorian Embassy ahead of Assange speech & a strange crate has appeared? #Assange #Wikileaks pic.twitter.com/HggwB3Ds
— Ian Brumpton (@IanBrumpton) August 19, 2012
Ha! Here are some real photos and reports from the scene.
Recommended
Is Assange to make a statement from the balcony of Ecuadorian embassy? Staff appear to be taking door of its hinges pic.twitter.com/mHzkWB8z
— Darren McCaffrey (@DarrenEuronews) August 19, 2012
'The law of the embassy of Ecuador is the law of Ecuador, and if metropolitan police enter…they are committing s crime' -Loach #assange
— Laurie Penny (@PennyRed) August 19, 2012
Ken Loach speaking- the scene here is a very British sort of scary. #assange pic.twitter.com/rR8N56Si
— Laurie Penny (@PennyRed) August 19, 2012
Another pic of the scene #assange pic.twitter.com/Dw0JGifU
— Laurie Penny (@PennyRed) August 19, 2012
And, of course, the willfully ignorant treat him as a martyr.
https://twitter.com/mjrobbins/status/237171387385663488
https://twitter.com/HurstAKA/status/237172143861952513
Protester somewhere in the crowd yelling at the cops to go home through a megaphone #assange
— Laurie Penny (@PennyRed) August 19, 2012
Cardboard on the ground, shipping bags full of juice cartons- some people have clearly camped here all night #assange
— Laurie Penny (@PennyRed) August 19, 2012
Twitchy will monitor the situation and update with all developments.
Update:
Here he is #crowdgoeswild #assange
— Laurie Penny (@PennyRed) August 19, 2012
#assange thanks Ecuador, stirring speech praising the crowd. pic.twitter.com/pLlTBtUj
— Laurie Penny (@PennyRed) August 19, 2012
#assange speaks and the police guard the building. Helicopters very very loud. pic.twitter.com/3uCpDTJH
— Laurie Penny (@PennyRed) August 19, 2012
He has so far spoken out only about the 'right to asylum'. Thanks the people of UK, USA and Sweden who have supported him #assange
— Laurie Penny (@PennyRed) August 19, 2012
'To my children, who have been denied their father, forgive me, we will be reunited soon' #assange huge cheers.
— Laurie Penny (@PennyRed) August 19, 2012
'I ask president Obama to do the right thing. The United States must end its witch hunt against Wikileaks.' #assange
— Laurie Penny (@PennyRed) August 19, 2012
Now #assange is demanding the release of B Manning- doesn't name him initially. Biggest cheers yet, crowd yells for him.
— Laurie Penny (@PennyRed) August 19, 2012
'Bradley Manning must be released. On Wednesday (he) spent his 815th day in prison without trial'. #assange also mentions Pussy Riot.
— Laurie Penny (@PennyRed) August 19, 2012
Speech over. #assange stands for a second to acknowledge the applause and then leaves.
— Laurie Penny (@PennyRed) August 19, 2012
No arrest so far. Some reaction from the Twittersphere.
https://twitter.com/Steven_Maclean/status/237186735929434112
Surely someone on twitter has made a "he's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy" joke re Assange's balcony appearance.
— Niall Paterson (@skynewsniall) August 19, 2012
But, of course!
STOP PRESS – Julian Assange's mother makes statement from Ecuador Embassy balcony – 'Julian isn't the Messiah – he's a very naughty boy'.
— Miss Daisy Frost (@missdaisyfrost) August 19, 2012
And, sigh.
TY @arp7088:: In case you missed it: Julian #Assange's speech from Ecuadorian Embassy http://t.co/YTWUQADy
— Mia Farrow (@MiaFarrow) August 19, 2012