Assange supporters enter Melbourne consulate

[struggle4progress]

Source: ABC

A small number of protesters have gathered at the British consulate in Melbourne to protest against Britain's treatment of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

About four people holding signs supporting Mr Assange have gathered outside the office.

They say there are another four inside who are refusing to come out ...

http://au.news.yahoo.com/latest/a/-/latest/14579135/assange-supporters-enter-melbourne-consulate/

Read more: http://au.news.yahoo.com/latest/a/-/latest/14579135/assange-supporters-enter-melbourne-consulate/

[starroute]

1. What's this "about four" business?

Maybe I'm just grumpy tonight, but that sort of journalism annoys me. It's not as though they're trying to guess at the size of a crowd that might be anywhere between 80 and 120 people. Or 80,000 and 120,000. It's four people. One-two-three-four. You can count them without even using your thumb.

But then, I've been bitching a lot lately about the overuse of "allegedly," "supposedly," "claims that," and similar ass-covering language in news stories. I understand that when a potential for libel is involved, reporters have to be make it clear that certain accusations are not being made by them but by their sources. But lately I keep seeing that sort of language attached to assertions that are totally uncontroversial and might even have been documented in the same paper a few days earlier.

I don't know whether it's specifically directed against liberals, or if it's part of the "we're just stenographers and don't get to decide whether anything is true or false" mindset. But either way it bugs the hell out of me.

[struggle4progress]

2. Assange protest hits UK consulate

August 17, 2012 - 2:04PM
Nathan Partenza

Four people occupied the British consulate in Melbourne's CBD this morning in support of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

The protesters, two men and two women, entered the consulate, on the 17th floor of a building on Collins Street about 11.15am ...

http://www.theage.com.au/world/assange-protest-hits-uk-consulate-20120817-24cqi.html

[Igel]

3. 3.8 supporters were inside.

4.2 were outside.

I agree. Having that much doubt about a number that you see and know and don't actually need to count? Don't understand.

[struggle4progress]

4. Assange protesters forced from consulate

... One of the four was Sam Castro, from the WikiLeaks Australian Citizens Alliance, who said the action followed Ecuador's granting of political asylum to Mr Assange, and Britain's warning it won't allow him safe passage out of the UK ...

Ms Castro said police and protective services officers arrived and warned the protesters to leave, which they finally did at about 1.30pm.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said the demonstrators had been peaceful.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/consulate-targeted-in-assange-protest/story-e6frg6nf-1226452814328