Britain’s Body Cavity Search of Assange’s Toddler and Other Indignities

Young Max, son of Julian Assange who is currently locked up for being a journalist/publisher, had an awful thing happen to him during a visit to see his dad.

According to John Shipton, Assange’s father, Max was subjected to an oral body cavity search prior to being able to visit with his dad, Julian. The event was reported in an interview with the Grayzone. Little Max had a “meltdown”, understandably.

My reaction:

This is child abuse.

This is not a national security threat to the U.K..

It’s an extension and intensification of the psychological warfare Assange has undergone for 2+ years in Belmarsh and 11+ years on U.K. soil.

I can only imagine that Max would want to avoid going through that again, or worse. He was traumatised and likely doesn’t want to go to the big place where Daddy lives (Belmarsh maximum security prison).

Max would also learn that Daddy is not going to comfort him or protect him from such physical invasions.

It’s something that would eat away at Julian Assange long after the body cavity invasion.

To subject a child to such indignities is outrageous. It would have set the tone of a family visit; ie. chaos, upset and the dread that Britain can do whatever it wants to Assange’s kids and to him no matter how humiliating or harmful it is. All for “national security”, huh Boris?

Let’s put perspective on this: Would Boris Johnson allow Belmarsh guards to search the mouth of his son Wilfred? What would he do if Wilfred had a meltdown over it? Would Boris be OK with staying put, hands-off while strangers in uniforms probed the oral cavity of his son and likely having to restrain the child to do so?

I’m disgusted. Angry.

To undermine the relationship that Julian Assange has with his sons is unconscionable. To subject a child to an unnecessary invasion of his person and possibly infect the child with Covid is psychologically damaging.

To all journalists: Put yourself in Assange’s shoes. Can you imagine having to watch your child being abused and you are powerless to intervene and have to return to a jail cell to ruminate on the event for the remainder of the day or week? Why should a child be subjected to such torment?

The entire interview with John Shipton and Gabriel Shipton is worth watching. Watch it here in full.