While Julian Assange remains unable to contact the outside world of the Ecuadorian embassy amid the urgent silence imposed by the Ecuadorian government, a group of heroic activists have been constantly standing in solidarity with Assange. Vault does not start when the internet Assange is disconnected, as they have participated in such events outside the embassy because Assange requested asylum there in 2012. However, since access to Assange to the internet is disconnected, vigils have been almost relentless.
Disobedient Media seeks out these unselfish and bold activists to gain their perspective on what solidarity with Wikileaks. We are honored to speak with supporters of Assange Emmy Butlin, and old anti-war protestor Ciaron O'Reilly. When this author asked Butlin for background information about their efforts, he directed me to WiseupAction.info. This site provides valuable information on the history of support in the UK for Assange and Chelsea Manning.
Disobedient Media speaks with Ciaron O'Reilly, who is a long-term anti-war activist and Wikileaks supporter. He told Disobedient Media about his background in activism and the beginning of his support for Assange:
"I am an old activist & caretaker with the Anarko-Pacifist Catholic Workers Movement founded by Dorothy Day. I was mentored by radical priest Dan & Phil Berrigan while living in the US I was imprisoned with three others for incapacitating Bommer B52 at the Air Force Base [Griffiss] in northern New York on the eve of the first Gulf War. I served 13 months in Texas & Louisiana and then deported back to Australia.
In 2003 I and four others paralyzed the US Navy warplanes in [Shannon] Airport Ireland because they were on their way to the invasion of Iraq. We were charged with a $ 2.5 million criminal offense and tried three times in Dublin and found not guilty by an Irish jury.
In 2010 I set up a Catholic Workers home for homeless refugees in London - Giuseppe Conlon House. Julian was arrested in London in December 2010. I attended his first appearance and all the courts. Together with my Godson, a veteran of the SAS special forces from the Iraq War, I had the opportunity to bring Julian in and out of court safely and safely. I became the organizer of key solidarity in England and Ireland for Chelsea Manning, Julian and the Chelsea mother's family in Wales. "
O'Reilly describes a small but ferocious group of activists who regularly attend solidarity exercises outside the Ecuadorian embassy:
Ciaron O'Reilly, Image via Twitter.
The embassy solidarity action began when Julian entered the embassy. This is primarily sustained by a Chilean woman who survived the coup of Pinochet, an Irish activist, a survivor of Colombia shot by a death squad, another Colombian torture victim, a Greek activist. "
O'Reilly describes his motivation for attending the event:
"In the Catholic tradition" just in case "is to stay awake. Sometimes it becomes a danger when people are asleep. In this case in solidarity with someone under threat. Julian and Chelsea are in trouble to expose millions of wars to march against. If you march, you incite their resistance and others, blow the whistle, and publish. Proactive Solidarity is needed when the people you face are in trouble with the state. "
He described the hypocrisy lack of support for Assange of Western humanitarian NGOs:
"I have experienced detention in Britain, Australia and Ireland under counter-terrorist legislation for anti-war activities. There is currently an investigation into a British Special Branch that hacked my email and nine others. Public response [to caution] ranges from support to cynicism. The Guardian newspaper has been running Julian's character assassination constantly since 2010; this belittles the liberal left support that would otherwise flow toward him. Organizations such as Amnesty International, Campaign Against Arms Trading, Stopping War etc. The beneficiaries of Julian's work, Chelsea & WikiLeaks leave them once they are targeted by the state. "
O'Reilly describes a group of activists who regularly attend wake-up events, and gives his thoughts on what people are supporting Assange but can not travel to the UK to express personal solidarity can do to help, emphasize the value of creativity and non- violence:
"A small and dedicated watch group ... We have done a lot of solidarity shows for Chelsea Manning, mom and family Chelsea in Dublin and Wales with speakers and music Building a wider community of solidarity Nonviolent intervention, I was recently confronted to British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson in Dublin about Julian's detention, nonviolent creative tension is what is needed. "
O'Reilly's description of creative, nonviolent, but direct intervention on Assange's behalf is something to keep in mind, especially given the persistent questions in response to Assange's current situation that expresses a sense of helplessness and even despair. O'Reilly further suggested Assange and Wikileaks supporters to: "Read and plagiarism from a solidarity campaign in US history.All powers for imagination."
When asked to explain the amount of time spent by himself and other members of the solidarity group by keeping watch with Assange, O'Reilly replied: "It's been a lot of [time]. But time and discomfort are minimal in the context of what Julian has experienced. As IWW used to say "He's there for us, We're here for him!"
Responding to those who frequently respond to reports of human rights violations suffered by Julian Assange, by trying to claim that Assange is free to leave the embassy whenever he wants, O'Reilly tells Disobedient Media:
"The cynical appraisal comes from someone who has never been detained in their lives. It speaks of ignorance born of privilege. I have spent about two years in various prisons, and I have also been detained by a country without walls or fences. Detention is when those in power draw lines and threaten you with worse to come if you pass by. I think Julian is a man in human history who has exposed and angered powerful people in the fastest amount. They have a lot of pain planned for her, if they ever hold her. "
Earlier today, O'Reilly also described an interesting interaction via Twitter, writing: "... From Julian #Assange's solidarity action outside the Ecuador embassy in London. I was talking to a man at a memorial event yesterday who had been detained and tortured at #Guantanamo. He is very grateful for the work of #WikiLeaks & Julian in exposing the torture. #ReconnectJulian "
The Youtube channel Emmy Butlin highlights the vigilance held outside the Ecuadorian embassy on March 28, where Ciaron O'Reilly is seen depicting the length of time spent by Editor-In-Chief WikiLeaks in arbitrary confinement, as well as the fact that Assange's internet has been cut. During the clip, O'Reilly discusses the fact that if Julian Assange gets out of the embassy he will be arrested. O'Reilly praised the Ecuadorian government for providing a sanctuary for Assange, whom Ciaron characterized as a political dissident whose life was threatened by the United States.
He said: "One can only imagine the pressure given to their government, that they will take such action, to bypass the internet. Also, banning on visitors is a terrible thing. I was a prisoner for about two years, but ... I always have access to visitors, so it's quite a shame that Julian has been denied visitors at this stage. "O'Reilly also commented on the irony of Assange's time cut off from the outside world, which happened to coincide with the Easter holiday.
The full clips are available below, courtesy Emmy Butlin:
Disobedient Media also spoke with Emmy Butlin, who was also a participant in the last ten hours of online watch for ReconnectJulian. He told this author:
Keep solidarity is exactly that and can be referred to it. Some core guys are on the alert, we have formed the Defense Committee of Julian Assange (JADC), but we include everyone who wants to be involved. We collect e-mail addresses from passersby who want to be notified about the actions in the London area: we e-mail bulletins once a month, repeating the Vigil strikes we post on WiseUp.info and share reports about more actions set up on the blog. The WiseUp.info blog is a repository of information to support Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning. Because of the happy release last year, the number of actions has stopped. Various people are involved in the candle flame, some not because they live far away. "
Emmy described the perplexing cost of Assange's polishing during his arbitrary detention at the embassy. He described how police costs are so high by 2014, and by 2015 costs are made to be classified. He said: "When they issue police uniforms in October 2015 they classify expenses because of secret surveillance and they do not want to give operational problems apparently."
Emmy Butlin, during participation in online #ReconnectJulian watch.
The Emmy attempted to reverse and overcome the move by writing to the relevant British official at the London Assembly. Although his question about police operation costs at the embassy is not answered, the letter symbolizes the spirit and initiative of activists who regularly attend vigilance to support the freedom of Assange at the Ecuadorian embassy.
When submissive Media asked a generally accepted method financially could support the efforts of the London group, Emmy said this author: "We never crowdsourced or raise funds from, not we have received any funds from others." The lack of external funding speaks again to his unselfishness those who stand in solidarity with Julian Assange year after year at the Ecuadorian embassy. In the same vein, when the author mentions the view that the group is a real-life hero, Emmy replied: "Simple, simple and ordinary people ... most of us are just very ordinary."
If there is one thing that needs to be learned from talking to Butlin and O'Reilly, it is that everyone is able to make a real positive difference in fighting for Wikileaks, Assange, and other human rights issues. When O'Reilly told Disobedient Media, creativity and imagination were everything.
No one can say when the human rights of Julian Assange for free speech will be returned to him. However, we can confidently expect that the continued support of a small group of brave activists standing in solidarity with Julian outside the embassy will not rule out any time soon.
