Hundreds, possibly thousands, of people took to the streets in Quito on Tuesday to protest President Lenin Moreno withdrawing WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s asylum.
The protesters, supporters of former Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa, accused the current president of being a “traitor” and being subservient to the United States government.
🗣📣 ¡Fuera Moreno Fuera! Gritan miles de ciudadanos y ciudadanas hartos de la persecución, el retroceso en derechos y la desinstitucionalización. Por eso #16ANiUnDerechoMenos ☝🏾🇪🇨@MashiRafael @EcuadorRC @SomosMasEc @GabrielaEsPais @jotalloretv @amandaasubiar
@wilfridolaz pic.twitter.com/QPCoBPi4Ji— Carlos Moncayo Guillén (@ing_carlos87) April 17, 2019
Aquí estamos en las calles de #Quito en la defensa de nuestros derechos, en contra de la persecución y del entreguismo de @Lenin Moreno y también por la libertad de @JulianAssange_ y la reapertura de la señal de @pichinchauniver #16ANiUnDerechoMenos pic.twitter.com/WI73zvuxxQ
— Paola Pabón (@PaolaPabonC) April 16, 2019
#URGENTE
Policías reprimen multitudinaria marcha contra el Gobierno del Presidente .@Lenin Moreno
Varias personas resultaron afectadas por las bombas lacrimógenas que lanzaronhttps://t.co/RsRUD0e18K pic.twitter.com/ysziGkagIK— Ecuadorinmediato (@ecuainm_oficial) April 17, 2019
“Out traitor, out! We voted for you so you govern, not for you to sell us to the United States. Despicable traitor!” a protester was heard shouting.
The march began peacefully, but was soon attacked by police who came out to confront the protesters in full riot gear and began firing tear gas into the crowds. Multiple injuries were reported.
https://twitter.com/jaraparilla/status/1118298529686888449
#Clashes erupt as pro-#Assange protesters rally in Quito, #Ecuador pic.twitter.com/f0wMvnDESn
— Ruptly (@Ruptly) April 17, 2019
Massive clashes between police in Ecuador🇪🇨 and pro-Assange protesters:
Protesters SLAMMED Lenin Moreno as a "traitor" as the reportedly thousands-strong rally marched on the presidential palace@Wikileaks pic.twitter.com/FwyJevkpC2
— Going Underground (@GUnderground_TV) April 17, 2019
Cobardes
Cobardes
Cobardes #16ANiUnDerechoMenos #FreeAssange #MorenoEsINA #16Abril #INAInvestment @MashiRafael pic.twitter.com/Uf9pL8rNpm— Sebas Fischler de la Torre ⚖ (@SebasFdelaT_73) April 16, 2019
The protesters assert that Moreno had “sold” Assange, who was a political refugee, in exchange for a $4.2 billion IMF loan. They also called out the corruption that was revealed in the INA Papers.
Moreno, in attempting to justify his treatment of Assange, had expressed concern that the publisher’s “Embassy cat” had been fitted with a camera. Protesters mocked the paranoia with giant signs.
https://twitter.com/Andrea_LoSaa/status/1118381001087102978
While this was going on, Moreno was in DC speaking to a very small crowd in the office of the Inter-American Dialogue think-tank. As he was leaving, a protester threw a “Hands Off Assange” banner at his car and was subsequently arrested by the Secret Service.
BREAKING: Activist @Hostage_Notes just took @CassandraRules’s banner that says “Hands off Assange” and was tackled to the ground and arrested by @SecretService when he attempted to throw it at Ecuador’s President @Lenin leaving an event in DC. pic.twitter.com/kgasu5As48
— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) April 16, 2019
