Peace Activists Sent Message to Julian Assange With Golden Gate Bridge Banner Drop

'Julian is Free and Palestine will be too!'

At sunrise this morning on Wednesday July 3rd, Julian Assange’s 53rd birthday, two activists, Wynd Kaufmyn and Toby Blomé, dropped two giant banners on the Golden Gate Bridge, from the east side of the northern tower that read, “Happy Birthday Julian” and  "U R Free, Palestine will be.”  

Julian Assange spent seven years in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London and then five years in the high security HM Prison Belmarsh, often in solitary confinement held on charges for merely exposing war crimes and war criminals. He was granted a deal last week by the U.S. Justice Department in which he pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Obtain and Disclose National Defense Information and was sentenced to time served. He is now home in Australia.

Toby Blome said, “I hope Julian sees this message and knows how much we want him to heal after his years of persecution just because he is a journalist who did his job.”

Wynd Kaufmyn said, “He was released because hundreds of thousands of people around the globe mobilized to protest the persecution of the most important journalist of our generation. It gives me hope and now I am confident that Palestine will also be free soon.”

The activists chose sunrise because of it’s symbolism for transformation and the "dawning of a new day.”  They say that the unexpected release of Julian Assange and his return to freedom, restores hope that the liberation of the people of Palestine will also be achieved one day "with the help of the global movement that is rising against the darkest hours of a horrific genocide”.

It took two attempts and much effort with each bulky vinyl banner to fully unfurl them.  Pulling the banners back up over the chain link fence with "rock weights" while standing on short stools was a challenge.  Ultimately, the banners were successfully dropped a second time and videotaped, with the early morning sun rising over the horizon. Wynd quickly had the Palestinian flag waving overhead.  

The banners were displayed for nearly an hour at which point Golden Gate Bridge Security police arrived. As they began to depart the GG Bridge police began arriving.  The first officer was very pleasant and was going to let them with only a warning as long as they took down the banners.  The second officer arrived soon after, became very aggressive and belligerent, and ultimately handcuffed and detained both activists. 

The activists were detained for about 1 1/2 hrs and released without citations or charges.

The banner dropping was also a way to express deep gratitude to Julian Assange on his birthday for the tremendous courage and commitment he exhibited to expose U.S. war crimes and wrongdoing.  "He has paid a hefty price for the public’s right to know," they said.