Photo: the scene outside the Ecuadorean embassy in London at this hour, via @wiseupforBM.
The president of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, has accepted Wikileaks founder Julian Assange's bid for asylum. Whether the UK will allow the Wikileaks founder to exit the South American country's embassy in London to enter exile is another matter entirely. The scene around the embassy over the last 24 hours has grown increasingly intense: police vans circling, cops entering the building where the embassy is located, protesters upset that the UK would seemingly violate decades of diplomatic precedent to grab a man who has not yet been charged with a crime. Assange is wanted for questioning in Sweden over accusations of sexual assault against two Swedish women.
Backpack broadcaster James Albury has been webcasting here.
Coverage: New York Times, Guardian, and Kevin Gozstola's blog are updated sources.
Previously: Ecuador claims UK threatens to barge in to embassy and grab Assange
En estos momentos, desde Cancillería, Ricardo anunciará decisión oficial del Ecuador sobre caso Assange. Nadie nos va a atemorizar!
— Rafael Correa (@MashiRafael) August 16, 2012
Our firm legal and constitutional system guarantees the rights of each and everyone. We firmly reject any accusations to the contrary.
— Carl Bildt (@carlbildt) August 16, 2012
ANNOUNCEMENT: Julian Assange will give a live statement infront of the Ecuadorian embassy, Sunday 2pm.
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) August 16, 2012
