Freedom rally for Wikis

Defiant protestors ... Thousands ignored police and protested for the freedom of Wikis' Julian Assange in Sydney. Source: AAPHundreds of Wikis supporters have rallied in central Sydney to demand the relse of its frontman Julian Assange and defend the whistleblower website from silencing attempts.At lst two arrests were made as the activists, some waving banners rding 'Hands off Wikis' and 'We deserve the truth', defied police orders not to march through the CBD on Tuesday to voice their concerns."It was a message to Julia Gillard that Julian Assange is not a criminal," activist Pip Hinman told AAP."If any charges have been laid, he has a right to have them hrd in a court of law, and not be tried by governments and the media."March organisers said eight people had been arrested by about 8pm (AEDT) but police confirmed only two arrests, although a spokeswoman said the report hadn't been finalised.Ms Hinman said about 600 protesters staged a pceful rally and did not disrupt pk-hour traffic as it moved along George Street's footpath and then into Martin Place to the US Consulate.
"The police I saw were grabbing people from the footpath, they were pulling people onto the street, at the same time they let out their dogs from their vans and that's where I saw a few people getting dragged away."Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Murdoch said rlier the protesters were refused permission to march through the city because the mandatory five-days' notice wasn't given.The Support Wikis Coalition (SWC) said the right to protest was a basic human right."We're now having to defend our own freedom of speech to defend the freedom of speech of Wikis," said SWC spokesman Patrick Langosch."We want to march to the US Embassy to show we oppose their attempts to silence Wikis... We can only conclude that the draconian actions of the NSW Police are political."

Source: The Daily Telegraph