The 24 hour Marathon for Julian Assange scheduled for 15 October is only a few days away and the response from activists, film-makers, musicians, poets, painters, journalists and political leaders is enthusiastic. A clear sign that many people around the world have realized that what is at stake is not just the release of a courageous journalist, persecuted for over ten years, but freedom of the press, freedom of expression, and the right of all of us to be informed.

The program promises to be rich and varied: there will be events – flash mobs, concerts, screenings of films and documentaries, debates, even a ballet – as well as interviews, including those with Noam Chomsky, Stella Assange, Fidel Narváez (the former consul of Ecuador in London who sheltered Assange in his embassy), and John Rees, the organizer of the human chain that surrounded Parliament on 8 October in London to demand Assange’s release.  During the marathon there will also be a number of videos featuring songs, poems and artistic performances, as well as individual testimonials, necessarily brief to leave room for everyone: an emotional link to show the solidarity and generosity surrounding Julian Assange and of which is a symbol.

Events will take place in more than 50 cities around the world. Here are some examples.

In the UK, activist groups will demonstrate in Piccadilly Circus, London and in front of Belmarsh Prison, where Julian Assange, who has just tested positive for Covid, has been locked up for over three years. In Manchester, an art event will be organized. In Australia, a presidium is planned in Sydney in front of the Prime Minister’s office and there will be links with Julian’s friend Niraj Lal from Melbourne and filmmaker and poet Kym Staton from Byron Bay. Students from National Chengchi University in Taipei, Taiwan, will organize a march entitled Free Julian Assange. In Spain, a film screening in Barcelona and a presidium in the center of Madrid are planned. France will join with an initiative in Toulouse and Belgium with an event in Namur. In Canada a group of activists will demonstrate in front of the City Hall in Regina, Saskatchewan. From Germany there will be a video of Die Linke deputy Żaklin Nastić and a street action in Berlin.  From Chile, Humanist congressman Tomás Hirsch will speak, interviewed by Pia Figueroa, co-director of Pressenza.

Many Italian cities and individuals will join in as well: journalists such as Stefania Maurizi of Fatto Quotidiano, Simona Maggiorelli of Left, Francesca Fornario, Dale Zaccaria, Giuseppe Giulietti of FNSI and Vincenzo Vita of Articolo 21, cartoonist Vauro, actor Moni Ovadia, comedian Alessandro Bergonzoni, Amnesty International Italia spokesperson Riccardo Noury, the mayor of Pinerolo (the Italian town that just granted Assange citizenship), doctor and activist Vittorio Agnoletto will all participate along with countless grassroots activists.

We appeal to all those who have contributed to building this marathon with enthusiasm and creativity to focus on spreading the word during the coming days, informing and involving as many people as possible. As we have repeatedly said from the beginning, only the pressure of world public opinion can save Julian Assange from extradition to the United States, where an unfair trial and a life sentence await him. We cannot allow that! 

All this will be streamed live over YouTube and Twitch:

https://www.youtube.com/c/PressenzaItalia

https://www.youtube.com/user/terranuovaedizioni

http://www.twitch.tv/ottolinatv

Updated information on:

https://www.24hassange.org/en/

24 hour Marathon for Julian Assange organizing committee

Organizations and media in alphabetical order:

Amnesty International

Articolo21

Atlante delle guerre

Comitato di solidarietà con Leonard Peltier di Milano

Ecomapuche

Free Assange Italia

Italia che Cambia

Left

L’indipendente

Media Alliance

Pressenza

Presidio Europa NoTav

Terra Nuova

transform! Italia

Sostenitori di Julian Assange

Sovranità Popolare

Unimondo

Individuals:

Daniela Bezzi

Maurizio del Bufalo, Festival del Cinema dei Diritti Umani di Napoli

Alessio di Florio

Renato Giuseppe Napoli (EarthProtector-StopEcocide)

Maurizio Torti

Dale Zaccaria