Showing posts with label london. Show all posts
Showing posts with label london. Show all posts

Saturday, 24 November 2012

Statue streaker in central London poses naked for 3 hours, waving at onlookers

Braving a temperature of 6 degrees Celsius, the man climbed the statue of Prince George in Whitehall, London, took off his clothes and proceeded to pose naked, waving at onlookers.


The incident, which happened at midday, brought London's traffic to a standstill for around three hours, as police feared the man might pose a security risk.Described as an inconspicuous man in his thirties or forties, he clambered up the bronze statue of Prince George, the Victorian-era commander-in-chief of the British Army, which is outside Whitehall, and houses the UK government and Ministry of Defence.

Striking various provocative poses, he even climbed on top of the feathered bicorne worn by the general, and attracted crowds of onlookers, taking photos with their mobile phones.

The incident attracted a response team of four police cars, two fire trucks, and four mounted policemen, who blocked off the area within 100 meters of the statue. This forced government employees to enter their buildings through alternative routes.

Eventually, after three hours, professional negotiators managed to urge the man to climb down. He was then detained under the Mental Health Act.

More images of the streaker can be viewed on RT.  Watch video of the incident at: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/337569#ixzz2D8DAaXV8

Thursday, 25 October 2012

Ecuador 'gravely concerned' about health of Assange


Julian Assange has been holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy since June, has been granted political asylum by Ecuador, but the UK will not grant him safe passage to leave the country. Now his health is suffering.
After losing his appeal against extradition to Sweden for questioning on alleged sex-related charges, Assange entered the Ecuadorian embassy in London, seeking political asylum in that country. It was feared that should he be extradited to Sweden for questioning, he would then be sent on to the US on charges of espionage, over the release of sensitive diplomatic cables which have both angered and embarrassed the US government... read more.

Sunday, 21 October 2012

10's of 1000's hit UK streets in anti-austerity protest (video)


It was the UK's turn to hit the streets on Saturday in protest against austerity measures and budget cuts. Tens of thousands participated with a wide range of different groups involved.
Amidst cries of "Pay your taxes", more than 100,000 protesters poured into the streets of London, Belfast and Glasgow, angry at the Government's austerity measures which they say are killing Britain.
Protesters were blowing whistles, waving flags and banners, reading ‘Cameron has butchered Britain’, ‘cut war not welfare’, and ‘need before greed’.
The protest was led by a group of unemployed young people, nurses, teachers and off-duty policemen, along with anti-war activists and politicians. In all three demonstrations (London, Glasgow and Belfast), there was a strong trade union presence... read more and watch videos.

Monday, 15 October 2012

Thousands of Muslims tell Google take down 'Innocence of Muslims'


In ongoing protests over the YouTube video, "Innocence of Muslims", thousands of Muslims protested outside Google's UK headquarters, saying they now live in an "age of mockery".
Reportedly the video "Innocence of Muslims" is still available on YouTube in the United Kingdom, and around 10,000 Muslims have traveled to London from various parts of the country to protest against this.
This is the first of a series of organized attempts to demand that YouTube, which is a subsidiary of Google, take down the offending video, which has caused outrage worldwide. Protesters say that they will continue until their demand is met... read more and watch video of the protest.

Tuesday, 9 October 2012

Video: GetUp! exclusive interview with Julian Assange


GetUp! is an independent movement to build a progressive Australia and bring participation back into the country's democracy. They support human rights, Julian Assange and WikiLeaks.
GetUp! interviewed Assange, founder and editor-in-chief of WikiLeaks, at the Ecuadorian embassy in London in September and have now released the interview as a video.
This was the first face-to-face Australian interview with Assange since he sought asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy. Many GetUp members had apparently emailed questions that they wanted Assange to answer, and these questions were put to him during the interview... read more and watch video.

Thursday, 13 September 2012

Climate activists block Shell headquarters with ice pyramid


Activists from Climate Justice Collective built an icy pyramid at Shell's London headquarters on Tuesday, in protest over Arctic oil drilling.
There have been several protests about the drilling for oil in the Arctic over the last few months, so far, with no effect.
Shell's exploratory oil expedition off the Alaskan coast started this week, but was halted on Monday when sea ice was seen to be drifting towards the drilling vessel.
Fifteen activists from Climate Justice Collective decided to try and do something about the situation on Tuesday, by blockading the entrance to Shell's London headquarters with a pyramid of ice blocks... read more and watch video.

Friday, 31 August 2012

Assange interviewed by Venezuelan TV station teleSUR


Venezuelan TV station teleSUR interviewed Julian Assange at London’s Ecuadorian Embassy. During the interview, allegations by Sweden, the grant of Ecuadorian asylum and WikiLeaks were discussed.
Assange is currently holed up in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, and whilst Ecuador has granted him diplomatic asylum on the grounds of political persecution, he is unable to leave, as the U.K. will not grant him safe passage out of the country. The U.K. government seeks to extradite him to Sweden to face questioning in an alleged sexual assault case. U.K. officials have vowed to arrest him should he step outside the embassy building... read more.

World personalities pledge support to Ecuador asylum for Assange


Intellectuals, musicians and world personalities have make public their support of the decision by Ecuador to grant asylum to Julian Assange and to the protection of Ecuador's diplomatic premises in London.
According to a press release on the website of the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Ecuador, around 270 personalities from 32 countries have signed an open letter of support to Ecuador's grant of diplomatic asylum to Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, and also to the inviolability of Ecuador's diplomatic premises in London, U.K... read more.


Wednesday, 29 August 2012

Protesters removed from front of Ecuadorian Embassy in London


Protesters and supporters of Julian Assange are being removed, or told to leave, from the street in front of the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. Concern is that the police may be planning to raid the embassy.
Supporters of Julian Assange, including Occupy London members, are being told to remove their belongings, otherwise they will be confiscated by the police. All barricades in front of the embassy have also been removed and supporters have been told to leave.... read more.

Friday, 24 August 2012

UK Metro police embarrassed by revealing Assange arrest plan


A policeman is in trouble after he accidentally revealed a secret plan to seize Julian Assange “under all circumstances” if he steps outside the Ecuadorian embassy.
Caught on camera - a uniformed police officer, holding a document on a clipboard, which details possible ways that Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, could attempt an escape from the Ecuadorian embassy... read more.

Thursday, 23 August 2012

Interview with Foreign Minister Ricardo Patiño of Ecuador


In an exclusive interview with Foreign Minister Ricardo Patiño, he is asked about his concern over the U.K.'s threat to storm Ecuador's London embassy to arrest Julian Assange. Support received from ALBA and UNASUR is also discussed.
Just prior to the granting of asylum to Assange by Ecuador, the U.K. government had threatened to enter the Ecuadorian Embassy in London to arrest Assange for onward extradition to Sweden for questioning on alleged sexual charges, causing a diplomatic uproar.... read more and watch interview.

Sunday, 19 August 2012

Video: Julian Assange addresses his supporters from embassy


Julian Assange addressed both his supporters and the media this afternoon. He also spoke directly to President Barack Obama.
Assange stood on the balcony of the Ecuadorian embassy in Knightsbridge, London, which was surrounded by many police officers, supporters and the media.
To the cheers of many supporters, he gave a moving speech. He addressed his supporters with these words ... read more and watch video.

Thursday, 16 August 2012

UK vows to block Assange from leaving the UK (video)


As Ecuador grants political asylum to Julian Assange, and his supporters celebrate, the U.K. stresses that it will block him from leaving the United Kingdom.
Ecuador today made a statement that Assange's request for political asylum has been granted. Ecuador's Foreign Minister, Ricardo Patiño, made the announcement, stressing that the country feels that the whistleblower's fears of being politically persecuted are justified.... read more and watch video.

If Assange granted asylum UK will deny him safe passage


The U.K. foreign office is saying that even if Julian Assange is granted political asylum, he will be refused safe passage out of the country. Meanwhile, protesters at the embassy are being arrested.
Officials have stated that the U.K. will do all in its power to block Assange's safe passage to Ecuador, even if he is granted asylum by Ecuador. They claim they have a legal obligation to extradite Assange to Sweden... read more and watch video of protester arrests.

Wednesday, 15 August 2012

UK threatens to storm Ecuadorian embassy over Assange


As the decision over Julian Assange's asylum looms near, the U.K. is threatening to raid the Ecuadorian Embassy unless Assange is handed over for extradition to Sweden.
Reports from Ecuador on Wednesday state that the British government had threatened to raid its embassy in London if WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is not handed over.
After a meeting with President Rafael Correa, Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Ricardo Patiño told reporters, "Today we've received a threat by the United Kingdom, a clear and written threat that they could storm our embassy in London if Ecuador refuses to hand in Julian Assange." ... read more.

Video: Julian Assange — from hero to hated


The video highlights RT's interactions with Julian Assange since April 2010. Initially he is seen as a hero for exposing the awful truth, eventually he is hated by banks, journalists, world leaders and others.
With every secret revealed by Julian Assange and WikiLeaks, he gained more and more enemies, desperate to bring him down.
Governments and public figures are openly calling for Assange to be killed... read more and watch video.

Thursday, 2 August 2012

Olympic embarrassment: Mayor of London gets stuck on a zip line


Boris Johnson, London's Mayor, got himself stuck on a zip line, 20 feet over a field, waving two U.K. flags, to celebrate the U.K.'s first Gold in the Olympics.
Appearing as a special guest in Victoria Park, London, Johnson decided it was a good idea to ride the 1,050ft (329m) zip line. He donned a hard hat and waved two British flags as he attempted the ride.
As he sailed along he was heard to say, "This is great fun but it needs to go faster."  .read more and view video.

Wednesday, 1 August 2012

Olympics media shuttle bus kills cyclist near stadium


An Olympics shuttle bus has hit and killed a cyclist on Ruckholt Road in East London, approximately 1.5 kms north of the Olympic Stadium.
London's Metropolitan Police have reported that the bus had hit and killed a bicyclist near the Olympic Park in east London. This required authorities to halt bus transportation in and out of the park... read more.

Monday, 30 July 2012

Olympics 2012: Twitter users blamed for disrupting TV coverage


Games organizers are blaming Twitter users for overloading data networks with their tweets, as they attend the London Summer Olympics. According to organizers, the deluge of tweets has already disrupted TV coverage of the cycling road races.
Each competitor's bike has a GPS chip, which transmits vital data to chart their progress in the race. Commentators were apparently unable to advise viewers of the positions and timings of the racers, because the data could not get through from the GPS satellite navigation system... read more.

Saturday, 28 July 2012

Olympics 2012 dubbed 'Year of the Woman'


This year's Summer Olympics is officially being dubbed 'Year of the Woman'. For the first time in history, every national team participating in the Games has female athletes. Even the first lady, Michele Obama, attended the opening.
A record 45% of the athletes representing their countries in this years Summer Olympics are women.... read more.