The Uptake | Minneapolis UK Consul Ducks Assange Letter

A small group of peace activists from Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) had an appointment at 4:30 p.m. today with the British Honorary Consul at US Bancorp Center, 800 on The Mall in downtown Minneapolis. The appointment had been reconfirmed several times. When the group arrived at the building they were met by 12-15 police and security guards who barred their entry into the building. A security fence had been set up on the sidewalk. The group was told that the entire 26th floor had been evacuated at 4 p.m., making theor 4:30 appointment null and void.

The purpose of the meeting was to deliver a letter with over 750 signatures asking the British Government to observe their own laws prohibiting political extradition in the case of Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange. Various news sources have claimed that the proposed extradition is being pushed by the United States so that, once Assange is in Sweden, the U.S. can grab him for rendition or for trial with a possible death penalty. Other reports, Reuters.

Apparently, the fear of this letter provoked the over-reactive security response by the Consul and the building’s management. Instead, the letter with signatures will be personally delivered at some future time without advance appointment. Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., a copy of the Minnesota letter was delivered directly to the British Embassy at 2 p.m. Eastern Standard Time today.

via Minneapolis UK Consul Ducks Assange Letter | The UpTake.