Protesters form a human chain around Parliament in support of Julian Assange

A magnificent show of support for Julian Assange. That was the human chain round Britain’s parliament on Saturday. More than 5000 people stretched round the front of the building, over Westminster bridge, along a section of the South Bank with views to the building, and back over Lambeth Bridge. This was a big achievement of logistics, with thousands pledging their support in advance and many travelling long distances to attend, and an even bigger achievement in terms of solidarity. Julian Assange is threatened with deportation to the US for his Wikileaks revelations and is imprisoned at high security Belmarsh as the inhuman legal process grinds on. His wife Stella and two young children were there, as was celebrity Russell Brand, MPs Jeremy Corbyn, Claudia Webbe and John McDonnell, barrister John Hendy, Lowkey and Tim Dawson from the National Union of Journalists. The demonstration led to others taking place around the world, and it was a great boost to the Don’t Extradite Assange campaign, which is determined to stop this injustice.