So, Assange sought asylum in the Ecuador embassy several months ago to protect his Human Rights and stop his extradiction to Sweden where he has not even been charged with any crime (and also stop the eventual extradiction to the US that will follow). Ecuador's President has been carefully reviewing international law to determine the answer to Assange's petition for such asylum. That decision comes tomorrow.
Wikileaks Statement on UK Threat to Storm Ecuadorian Embassy in London:
In a communication this morning to the government of Ecuador, the UK threatened to forcefully enter the Ecuadorian embassy in London and arrest Julian Assange.
The UK claims the power to do so under the Diplomatic and Consular Premises Act 1987.
So, the only news I see reporting this assault on the sovereign peaceful embassy of Ecuador in London is from Twitter postings.
In London this evening, it is reported that there is a huge police presence in and around the Ecuador embassy. Scotland Yard claims this huge police presence is there to simply "police the embassy like any other embassy."
The Guardian has posted the news that Ecuador will officially declare its decision to offer asylum to Assange around lunchtime tomorrow. In the meantime, the UK has "threatened to storm the embassy" in letters delivered by a British embassy official in Quito to Ecuador's foreign minister and the UK police forces are assembling to follow through on this threat against Ecuador's embassy.
The typical diplomatic and analytic retort claims the UK is an honorable member of the international community and such behavior is abhorrent to the UK value and respect for the sovereignty of other nations.
Yet, this claim by the UK that they are "committed to reaching a mutually acceptable solution" with Ecuador appears to need the assistance of brute force and coercive manipulations. Three vans full of police in riot gear as well as police inside and outside the Ecuadorian embassy do not lend themselves to a "mutually acceptable" solution. Snipers positioned on rooftops directly across from the Ecuadorian embassy are not a "mutually acceptable solution."
~~
Greg Mitchell tweeted an astute observation that corresponds so well with this incident:
Romney's money sought asylum in the Caymans and no one raided it.
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UPDATED WITH LINKS TO LIVESTREAM:
Bambuser live in front of the embassy.
Occupy News Network (battery is dead at the moment, so the network is down)
"We are not a British colony."
At a news conference in Quito on Wednesday, Mr Patino said a letter from the UK government was delivered through a British embassy official.
"Today we received from the United Kingdom an express threat, in writing, that they might storm our Embassy in London if we don't hand over Julian Assange," he said.
"Ecuador rejects in the most emphatic terms the explicit threat of the British official communication."
He said such a threat was "improper of a democratic, civilised and rule abiding country".
"If the measure announced in the British official communication is enacted, it will be interpreted by Ecuador as an unacceptable, unfriendly and hostile act and as an attempt against our sovereignty. It would force us to respond," he said.
UPDATE II from Twitter:
Wikileaks reports:
Police have blocked off a major Harrods loading bay along the side of the embassy. Vehicles carrying tomorrow's supplies turned away.
AND
FM Patino says Ecuador will call urgent summit of OAS & UNASUR over British threat to embassy.
And via links and tweets from Sylvia P.:
British Foreign Office: "we can give a week's notice before entering the Embassy and it will no longer have diplomatic protection."
AND yet...
British Foreign Office: Decision to remove Ecuador Embassy's diplomatic protection has not yet been taken.
AND
Ecuador National Assembly will hold extraordinary session tomorrow, August 16, at 9PM to discuss UK's threat.
It appears the world is in store for a major international incident over a man who has not been charged with any crime in any country. Hounded him across the world all because of a broken condom during a consensual encounter.
UPDATE III : ASYLUM GRANTED
Asylum is granted
13:22 BST Patiño says Ecuador has given "extreme and careful consideration" to Assange's political asylum request.
13:38 BST Ecuador is to grant political asylum to Julian Assange, says Patino.
13:41 BST We can state that there is a risk that he will be persecuted politically...
We trust the UK will offer the necessary guarantees so that both governments can act adequately and properly respect international rights and the right of asylum.
We also trust the excellent relationship the two countries have will continue.
Britain's response to Ecuador granting political asylum to Assange?
Britain will carry out its "binding obligation" to extradite Assange to Sweden in spite of Ecuador's decision, a spokesperson for the FCO has said.
UPDATE IV : Declaration by the Government of Ecuador on Granting Asylum to Assange
Declaration by the Government of the Republic of Ecuador on the asylum application Assange [translated by Google]