03:41Hundreds of supporters of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange including his father John Shipton gathered outside the East hotel in Canberra on Wednesday ahead of WikiLeaks presser.
Footage shows Assange's supporters holding placards reading 'Come on Australia. Bring Assange home,' 'Free Assange' and 'Thanks, Julian!' as well as chanting slogans in support.
"He's home, his wife is here, his kids are here. He is in embrace of the Australian people," said John Shipton about his son as he returned to Canberra following release under a plea deal.
On Wednesday plain carrying Julian Assange landed in Canberra, as he arrived after his landmark plea deal hearing with the US in Saipan.
Assange's supporters expressed satisfaction with his release and admiration for his personality. One of them said that Julian Assange 'never did anything wrong' highlighting that the WikiLeaks founder 'reported the truth.'
"I actually cried for hours. We've been campaigning for years in Canberra and the idea that we have actually coming off was just like... It was so emotional", said another supporter adding that 'Julian's freedom is freedom for all of us.'
The US district courthouse in the Northern Mariana Islands, Assange entered a 'guilty' plea to a single charge of espionage. While the offence carried up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, Judge Ramona Manglona accepted the plea agreement and imposed a sentence of time served, amounting to the 62 months he spent in the UK's Belmarsh prison.
The WikiLeaks founder left Belmarsh on Monday evening after reaching the plea deal, boarding a plane at London's Stansted Airport.
The hearing's location in Saipan - the largest of the Northern Mariana Islands, a US commonwealth - was reportedly due to its proximity to Australia and his own opposition to travelling to the United States.
He had been detained in the London prison since 2019, and fought a long-running extradition battle with the US over 18 charges related to the release of classified documents involving the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
He was initially granted political asylum by Ecuador in the British capital in 2012 but was dragged from the embassy by UK police seven years later.
'Embrace of the Australian people' - Supporters gather outside hotel in Canberra as Assange returns after freedom plea deal
Hundreds of supporters of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange including his father John Shipton gathered outside the East hotel in Canberra on Wednesday ahead of WikiLeaks presser.
Footage shows Assange's supporters holding placards reading 'Come on Australia. Bring Assange home,' 'Free Assange' and 'Thanks, Julian!' as well as chanting slogans in support.
"He's home, his wife is here, his kids are here. He is in embrace of the Australian people," said John Shipton about his son as he returned to Canberra following release under a plea deal.
On Wednesday plain carrying Julian Assange landed in Canberra, as he arrived after his landmark plea deal hearing with the US in Saipan.
Assange's supporters expressed satisfaction with his release and admiration for his personality. One of them said that Julian Assange 'never did anything wrong' highlighting that the WikiLeaks founder 'reported the truth.'
"I actually cried for hours. We've been campaigning for years in Canberra and the idea that we have actually coming off was just like... It was so emotional", said another supporter adding that 'Julian's freedom is freedom for all of us.'
The US district courthouse in the Northern Mariana Islands, Assange entered a 'guilty' plea to a single charge of espionage. While the offence carried up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, Judge Ramona Manglona accepted the plea agreement and imposed a sentence of time served, amounting to the 62 months he spent in the UK's Belmarsh prison.
The WikiLeaks founder left Belmarsh on Monday evening after reaching the plea deal, boarding a plane at London's Stansted Airport.
The hearing's location in Saipan - the largest of the Northern Mariana Islands, a US commonwealth - was reportedly due to its proximity to Australia and his own opposition to travelling to the United States.
He had been detained in the London prison since 2019, and fought a long-running extradition battle with the US over 18 charges related to the release of classified documents involving the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
He was initially granted political asylum by Ecuador in the British capital in 2012 but was dragged from the embassy by UK police seven years later.
Hundreds of supporters of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange including his father John Shipton gathered outside the East hotel in Canberra on Wednesday ahead of WikiLeaks presser.
Footage shows Assange's supporters holding placards reading 'Come on Australia. Bring Assange home,' 'Free Assange' and 'Thanks, Julian!' as well as chanting slogans in support.
"He's home, his wife is here, his kids are here. He is in embrace of the Australian people," said John Shipton about his son as he returned to Canberra following release under a plea deal.
On Wednesday plain carrying Julian Assange landed in Canberra, as he arrived after his landmark plea deal hearing with the US in Saipan.
Assange's supporters expressed satisfaction with his release and admiration for his personality. One of them said that Julian Assange 'never did anything wrong' highlighting that the WikiLeaks founder 'reported the truth.'
"I actually cried for hours. We've been campaigning for years in Canberra and the idea that we have actually coming off was just like... It was so emotional", said another supporter adding that 'Julian's freedom is freedom for all of us.'
The US district courthouse in the Northern Mariana Islands, Assange entered a 'guilty' plea to a single charge of espionage. While the offence carried up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, Judge Ramona Manglona accepted the plea agreement and imposed a sentence of time served, amounting to the 62 months he spent in the UK's Belmarsh prison.
The WikiLeaks founder left Belmarsh on Monday evening after reaching the plea deal, boarding a plane at London's Stansted Airport.
The hearing's location in Saipan - the largest of the Northern Mariana Islands, a US commonwealth - was reportedly due to its proximity to Australia and his own opposition to travelling to the United States.
He had been detained in the London prison since 2019, and fought a long-running extradition battle with the US over 18 charges related to the release of classified documents involving the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
He was initially granted political asylum by Ecuador in the British capital in 2012 but was dragged from the embassy by UK police seven years later.