Supporters of WikiLeaks and Julian Assange protested outside the Sydney Convention Centre on April 20 as Attorney General Nicola Roxon spoke inside at the Commonwealth Regional Law conference.
Earlier, three activists entered the conference venue and chanted slogans in support of Assange outside the room where Roxon was speaking. They continued for about 10 minutes before they were asked to leave.
The Support Assange and WikiLeaks Coalition called the protest because of Roxon’s April 16 appearance on the ABC’s Q&A, where she defended the federal government’s treatment of Assange.
Julian's mother, Christine Assange, told ABC Radio on April 18: “Roxon has point-blank lied to the Australian people all the way through that Q&A session the other night. I could not believe it. The woman needs to resign.”
Christine Assange went on to identify 18 things that Roxon said about WikiLeaks, Assange and the legal proceedings against him that were not true.
The Support Assange and WikiLeaks Coalition said: “Roxon persisted with her government’s denial that they know anything about US plans to extradite Assange despite evidence that a sealed grand jury indictment already exists.
“She also repeated the lie that Assange ‘fled’ Sweden when he in fact stayed there for five weeks for the purpose of answering the allegations against him and was then given permission to leave.”
As she boarded a flight to attend the Sydney conference, Australian human rights lawyer and WikiLeaks legal advisor Jennifer Robinson was told by Heathrow airport officials that she was on an “inhibited travel list” and required “embassy” approval to travel.
During a conference session, Robinson questioned Roxon about whether the Australian government had placed her on such a restricted travel list. Roxon denied any knowledge of any travel restrictions and said the federal government had nothing to do with it.
After the session ended, Robinson went outside to greet the protesters.
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