Thread by @FordFischer

VIDEO THREAD: Supporters of @wikileaks publisher Julian Assange commemorated World Press Freedom Day this afternoon by holding a funeral procession march for press freedom in DC.

"What do we want? Free Assange!" chanted the activists, some of whom carried caskets. "When do we… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

The funeral procession for press freedom protest began outside the Department of Justice with @JenChangeFL.

She says Julian Assange's prosecution is "death of part of our First Amendment."

She calls out Biden for saying "journalism is not a crime" at the White House… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Organizer @SmurphySuzanne with @AssangeActionDC spoke out in front of the DOJ and offered welcome to @RobertKennedyJr for his recent support for Julian Assange and other journalists and whistleblowers.

She read his tweets and said they are "hitting it out of the park for me."

Independent New York Senate candidate @DianeSare spoke out for #JulianAssange and his publication of leaked video showing the U.S. military killing two Reuters journalists: "We must not be afraid to face who we are and what we should be and to challenge our fellow Americans."

Ruslan Petrovych Kotsaba, a Ukrainian media figure and critic of Ukraine's military who fled to the United States in October 2022, said he is "often called the Ukrainian Assange."

(Kotsaba was sentenced for "obstructing the activities of the armed forces" in 2015 to 3.5 years in… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Lastly in front of the DOJ: @nick_brana of @PeoplesParty_US described that on Saturday at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, "all the biggest journalists in the country gathered at a swanky hotel right here in this city to celebrate press freedoms and liberties in this… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

The funeral procession for press freedom rally then marched to the National Press Club, where @JosBtrigga said "our government has been hijacked by tyrannical forces that have censored many people, that have put Julian Assange in prison."

"Now, it is the right and the… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Brian Fouche of @AssangeActionDC described how at a #WorldPressFreedomDay event hosted by Washington Post, "one thing they didn't talk about was any of the problems with freedom of speech and freedom of press in the United States."

"It was only focused on other countries."

Kathy Boylan with Dorothy Day Catholic Worker described how she refuses to pay federal taxes (this is a subject she brings up often at anti-war and related rallies in DC) "because our money is being used to fund all of the wars and the torture, all of the crimes against humanity… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Organizer @SmurphySuzanne / @AssangeActionDC then quoted @RobertKennedyJr in front of the National Press Club promising to pardon Julian Assange: "The America I love doesn't imprison its dissidents."

"Thank you RFK for standing with Julian Assange and all of the truth-sayers!"

The funeral procession for press freedom then marched to the office of Washington Post, where they placed caskets in front of the entrance.

"Freedom for Assange, we shall not be moved!" DC-based singer/activist Luci Murphy led the crowd in singing.

"Just like a tree that's… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Outside the offices of Washington Post, @medeabenjamin of @codepink said #WorldPressFreedomDay should be "Free Assange Day!"

She describes a demonstration today where she managed to interrupt @SecBlinken to demand the dropping of charges against #JulianAssange.… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Ann Wilcox @AnnWinDC of @AssangeActionDC described that there are also actions for Assange taking place in other cities such as NYC, LA, and Chicago.

She introduced Leonardo Flores @LeonardoEFA, who said the prosecution of Assange has gone beyond a double-standard.

"The United… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Closing out the funeral procession for press freedom in front of the offices of Washington Post, @JosBtrigga quoted Dante's Inferno: "Midway upon the journey of our life, I found myself astray, alone in a dark wood, for the straight and narrow path had been lost."

Jose says… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Here is the full @N2Sreports video of the @AssangeActionDC funeral procession for press freedom demonstration today in Washington DC.

#JulianAssange