Assange supporters gather at Educador Embassy amid expulsion rumours
Supporters of Julian Assange have gathered outside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London after fears were raised that the WikiLeaks founder was about to be expelled.
The anti-secrecy organisation said its sources in Ecuador had revealed Mr Assange could be removed from the building “within hours to days”.
It is understood the source was regarded as credible by WikiLeaks.
Ecuador’s foreign ministry released a statement saying it “doesn’t comment on rumours, theories or conjectures that don’t have any documented backing”, but a senior Ecuadorian official said no decision had been made.
Supporters arrived at the embassy throughout Friday morning, holding up posters and signs calling for Mr Assange to be allowed to leave without fear of being arrested.
WikiLeaks believes Mr Assange will be extradited to the United States if he leaves the building.
An Ecuador official said President Lenin Moreno was angered by the apparent hacking of his personal communications.
On Tuesday, Mr Moreno blamed WikiLeaks for recent allegations of offshore corruption that appeared in local media outlets and the publication of family photos to social media.
Mr Moreno accused WikiLeaks of intercepting phone calls and private conversations as well as “photos of my bedroom, what I eat, and how my wife and daughters and friends dance”.
He provided no evidence, and WikiLeaks has denied any involvement.
WikiLeaks in a statement called Mr Moreno’s charges “completely bogus”, saying it reported on the accusations of corruption against the president only after Ecuador’s legislature investigated the issue.
A van arrived at the London Embassy bearing a billboard in support of Mr Assange, and parked in a space reserved for diplomats.
The man who arranged the board and gave his name as Fethi said: “I’m here to support Julian Assange. We just wonder if the police will take him away.”
Fethi, who briefly went into the embassy before he was escorted out by officials, said he does not believe Mr Assange will be expelled.
“We’re going to be staying here until we see what’s going on,” he said.
A picture on the billboard showed Mr Assange gagged by an American flag with the message #FreeSpeech.
A member of staff inside the six-storey building declined to comment.
Mr Assange has been living inside the embassy for almost seven years.
