Local residents breathed a collective sigh of relief after protesters for Julian Assange finally left the Ecuadorian embassy this morning.
Protesters had gathered outside the embassy in the wake of the Wiki-Leaks co-founder’s arrest, but left the area in a mess.
Around 50-60 supporters of the Australian-born Assange assembled outside the embassy after reports broke out that Assange could be arrested.
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange gives a thumbs up as he leaves the Westminster Magistrates Court in a police van, after his arrest at the Ecuadorian Embassy on April 11
He had been living in the embassy since 2012 after he sought refuge there following a ruling that he should be extradited to Sweden to face sexual assault allegations.
Assange was arrested on April 11, and it is believed the protesters left earlier today. However, they have left behind bags full of rubbish.
Bin liners full of protest paraphernalia such as flags, banners and posters were spotted, along with ripped tents, chairs, clothes and trainers.
A parking attendant (who did not wish to be named) said: ‘They just left all this s*** and took off.’
A bed, banners and bin bags full of rubbish were left outside the Ecuadorian embassy, after the protesters left
A driver for a resident in the building said: ‘All these protesters left the place in a state. All this rubbish is from them.
‘They aren’t even going to come back.’
An unnamed taxi driver added the protesters were ‘leaving the place a mess and dumping all their stuff’.
A banner which reads ‘Free Assange’ and poster of Wiki-Leaks founders Chelsea Manning and Julian Assange, were left by protesters
A bed, red tents, banners and bin bags full of rubbish were left outside the Ecuadorian embassy, after the protesters left. Julian Assange was arrested on April 11, after living in the embassy since 2012. The Wiki-Leaks co-founder is facing extradition charges to America and Sweden.
A bed, banners and bin bags full of rubbish were left outside the Ecuadorian embassy, after the protesters left. Julian Assange was arrested on April 11, after living in the embassy since 2012. The Wiki-Leaks co-founder is facing extradition charges to America and Sweden.
A guard working at Harrods said there were about ’10-15 protesters,’ today and described them as a ‘noisy bunch’.
Another Harrods guard said: ‘There was nothing wrong with what they were doing but I can see they left quite a bit of a mess around here so it’s not great form from them.’
Tensions between Assange and the embassy had been reaching a fever pitch in the last few months, with reports that they believed he was spying on them with his cat.
A protester seen holding a banner reads ” Free Assange” during the demonstration in support of Julian Assange in 2018
Supporters of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange hold placards with slogans that read “We are all Assange” (pictured left) and “Ecuador country of freedom” (pictured right) in 2012
A guard working at Harrods said there were about ’10-15 protesters,’ and one man was apparently there for 140 days. He described them as a ‘noisy bunch’
One resident said: ‘Julian had a cat that the embassy thought was spying on them. He let it roam around the place and the embassy thought he put a camera on its head. The embassy did not trust him.’
‘He also got his own s*** and rubbed it around his bedroom because he was so depressed. All this stuff was from the protesters.
‘They left tents here at nights and put bricks in it but didn’t actually sleep in them apart from that one guy.’
Boxes of rubbish were dumped by the embassy. Local in Kensington believe the rubbish was left by protesters, who had placed themselves outside the embassy as rumors began to circulate that Julian Assange could be arrested.
A bed was one of man items dumped outside the Embassy. Julian Assange had sought refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy in 2012, after facing sexual assault charges in Sweden
The rubbish was left on Landon Place, on the side of the embassy. Assange was arrested by police on April 11 and could face extradition to America, for his role in the leak of classified documents, through Wiki-Leaks
A black duffel bag filled with clothes was found among the pile of rubbish dumped on Landan Place, London. It is not confirmed who the clothes belong to, but residents said they were left by protesters
A rubbish bag with what looks like post from Simone Perele and Russell & Bromley were dumped outside the embassy. These items are believed to have been left by protesters who left earlier today
A black duffel bag filled with clothes was found among the pile of rubbish dumped on Landan Place, London. It is not confirmed who the clothes belong to, but residents said they were left by protesters
Washington Del Pino from Ecuador said: ‘I don’t really see why we kept him, it wasn’t worth it. It seems crazy to me and a lot of people back home but the opinion in Ecuador varies.’
Another resident said the protesters made a ‘real ruckus’ at one point and described Assange as a ‘pain in the arse’.
A chauffeur for a local resident said: ‘I didn’t see any today because I was in and out but yesterday there were at least 50 or 60. They kept things professional and on point.
‘I heard things went a bit mad when the bloke came out the embassy but apart from that they kept it together. ‘