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Wikileaks rally fires up in Sydney: pics

Over 50 cities around the world, including Sydney, showed their support for Wikileaks in a rally on Saturday.
By Suzanne Tindal, Contributor
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1 of 15 Suzanne Tindal/ZDNet Australia

Again, the protest started outside Town Hall in Sydney's centre.

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2 of 15 Suzanne Tindal/ZDNet Australia

At 1pm, the planned starting time, it looked a little empty, but those involved were spreading their message via fliers and magazines.

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3 of 15 Suzanne Tindal/ZDNet Australia

Wikileaks-themed t-shirts and bags were also making the rounds.

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4 of 15 Suzanne Tindal/ZDNet Australia

There was a strong police presence, but this time the rally had the police's support.

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5 of 15 Suzanne Tindal/ZDNet Australia

The square started to fill.

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6 of 15 Suzanne Tindal/ZDNet Australia

Pirate Party spokesperson Simon Frew introduced the speakers, saying that the government was treating Australians like mushrooms, keeping them in the dark and feeding them media manure.

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7 of 15 Suzanne Tindal/ZDNet Australia

The Pirate Party is demanding that Australia move to protect Wikleaks, other whistleblowing services and sources, introduce laws which facilitate an environment of openness and tell the US that it condemns calls for violence, such as those calling for the assassination of Wikileaks mouthpiece Julian Assange. The party wants the government to afford Assange its full support and assistance.

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8 of 15 Suzanne Tindal/ZDNet Australia

Collection buckets went around, with proceeds to go to helping victims of the Queensland floods.

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9 of 15 Suzanne Tindal/ZDNet Australia

People sported pirate flags, Greens Party flags and Che Guevara flags.

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10 of 15 Suzanne Tindal/ZDNet Australia

Some placards were specific in their demands.

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11 of 15 Suzanne Tindal/ZDNet Australia

After the speeches, which featured NSW Greens MP David Shoebridge and independent freelance journalist Antony Loewenstein, the crowd moved out onto George Street and made its way to the MLC centre where the US consulate is housed.

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12 of 15 Suzanne Tindal/ZDNet Australia

According to reports, over a thousand people attended the rally.

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13 of 15 Suzanne Tindal/ZDNet Australia

People yelled slogans such as "Wikileaks here to stay. Censorship, no way!"

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14 of 15 Suzanne Tindal/ZDNet Australia

Loewenstein had earlier said that there was nothing stopping anyone in Australia from starting a local version of Wikileaks to keep local, state and federal governments accountable.

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15 of 15 Suzanne Tindal/ZDNet Australia

With its police escort, the rally flowed smoothly, in contrast to the last Wikileaks rally.

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