After the human chain that surrounded the British Parliament on October 8th 2022 to demand the release of Julian Assange, the marathon on October 15th and the initiatives on December 10th , the time has come to make ourselves heard again. That is why we propose supporting the Night Carnival for Assange initiative launched by Don’t Extradite Assange Campaign in London on Saturday 11 February, and organizing similar actions around the world the same day.
We want to return to the ancient meaning of Carnival, when people mocked the powerful and their abuses with masks, songs, dances, music, floats and satirical signs. All this can be applied very well to the current persecution of Assange, for instance by wearing masks reproducing his face.
As always, we rely on your creativity: any kind of initiative is welcome, from flash mobs, to debates, to the screening of films on the subject, but in addition to the ‘carnivalesque’ tone, we pass on a request by John Rees, organizer of the human chain of October 8th in London: to put international pressure on the British and American governments by signing the petition calling for a halt to the extradition of Julian Assange to the United States and a request to President Biden to drop the charges against a journalist who has only done his job. In this way, thousands of signatures can be added to those already collected.
On February 11th , initiatives could be held, where possible, near the embassies and consulates of the UK and the US, with the symbolic handing over of the text of the two petitions, an invitation to sign them during the event, and the announcement of the total signatures collected so far. In the other cities you will undoubtedly be able to find a central and significant place to express your closeness and solidarity with Julian and the pressing demand for his release.
We would like to repeat the experience of the marathon of 15 October by organising live connections with the different events, and for this we need to know by 31 January the places and times of the different initiatives. Please report them by writing to 24hAssange@proton.me.
