This is the seventy-eighth Julian Assange Sydney Town Hall Gathering. It is an honour to stand with brave and intelligent people speaking the truth about Julian Assange, his journalism and his persecution. Too often the people who speak the truth are smeared and ridiculed by those who choose to go along with mainstream lies and propaganda but we can be happy in the knowledge that our consciences are clear.
The silencing of Julian Assange, through arbitrary detention is an orchestrated crime designed to prevent as many people as possible from knowing the truth and to discourage us all uniting against our corrupt governments and their dirty secrets.
History is littered with atrocities committed in our name. It is essential that we have a press that is free to report the facts surrounding atrocities should they occur. Over the past eleven days, for example, people in the Gaza strip have been subjected to a brutal attack from Israel. Over 230 Palestinians including a large proportion of children have been murdered in what appears to be nothing less than ethnic cleansing.
Press reporting has also come under attack with the offices of journalists being destroyed. Fortunately, the journalists were warned beforehand, but the calculated destruction of their offices has to have impeded their attempts to inform the world.
If we wish to stop atrocities, like the one in Gaza, we must have the ability to be truthfully informed. Without a free press capable of publishing evidence, governments wish to keep secret, more atrocities are bound to take place.
Julian Assange came to prominence for publishing much evidence of previously unknown war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan. Revealing the truth is clearly ethical. Defending the right to reveal truth is definitely ethical. Standing in solidarity with Julian Assange, in the face of political persecution may take courage but it is absolutely ethical!
There is no justification for preventing any human being from speaking. We must always have unrestricted speech! The silencing of Julian Assange has deadly consequences for us all.
No matter who our political leaders are, we all have the right to know about any crimes they commit in our name and where our tax dollars are being spent.
When all people absolutely realise that truth is the basis of all good action, we will be able to live in peace and harmony. Surely this is possible! Surely we have the collective capacity! Surely we can all see we are being lied to!
The best thing that we can do right now is to unite peacefully and free Julian Assange!
So free Julian Assange!
Free Julian Assange!
Free Julian Assange!