Watching The Bobbies Almost Arrest Assange

At this moment, 11:30 PM Chicago time, I'm watching the London police commit international crime by entering the Ecuadorian embassy, apparently in an attempt to arrest Julian Assange.

The live stream is at

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/occupynewsnetwork

Incredible to be watching a major event, a breach of the integrity of the diplomatic system, and to be live-blogging it.

More as it comes...

Here's some background:

Assange Embassy Controversy: Britain Threatens To Raid Ecuador's Embassy Over Amnesty Issue

The embassy was about to make a statement to the effect that they will hold Assange forever. The Brits were not amused. We don't pay them to be amused.

- - - - -

Morning. It looks like the two vans of policemen were there in the middle of the night to scope out the building in which the Embassy of Ecuador rents its space. The embassy is not in a building of its own. There is no report today that police entered the embassy proper.

This evening, Ecuador will release its statement about accepting Julian Assange as a refugee. The UK government has mentioned that they could, if they wanted to, de-authorize the use of the embassy space for embassy purposes. But they won't go that far.

Not if Ecuador gives up Assange. Pretty please? With bells and ribbons on it?

They're begging. As power players do.

7:33 AM in comments on the Occupy video link above, one reads that the Ecuadorean foreign minister has just said that Assange is applying legitimately and that he will do nothing to deny the application.

8:25 AM Ecuador announces - surprise - that Assange has just been granted asylum. CNET has the story.

Now what?

Impasse. Here are two postings on Op Ed News that pretty much clarify the situation.

"By Stephen Lendman
Ecuador to Washington and Britain: Go to Hell

For around two months, Julian Assange has been holed up in Ecuador's London embassy after requesting political asylum.

By Ruth Hull
Will Britain's Declaration of War Against International Law Backfire? Will British Embassies Be Stormed?

Britain has threatened to violate international law by storming the Ecuadorian Embassy and arresting Julian Assange. Will the governments around the world retaliate against this act of war and terrorism by storming British embassies? Have the leaders of Britain lost their minds?"

The above is excerpted from a promotional mailing by Op Ed News.

And now, 8/18, the British have apologized for going overboard:

"Britain's government seems to have toned down its rhetoric. Speaking to reporters Thursday, British Foreign Secretary William Hague insisted that Britain would act within the law.

"We are committed to working with them amicably to resolve the matter," he said. "There is no threat here to storm an embassy."

It was all a big mistake.