The imprisonment of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has sparked a new form of protest. Supporters have organized a political rally in the metaverse, which will take place within the Wistaverse in the Sandbox metaverse. The event is planned by the ‘Don’t Extradite Assange Campaign’ and will feature speeches from notable figures.
Virtual speakers and event details
The virtual meeting will feature a pre-recorded message from Assange himself, who has been incarcerated at London’s Belmarsh Prison since April 2019. Joining him will be his wife Stella Assange, WikiLeaks co-founder Kristinn Hrafnasson and former leader of the British Labor Party. Party, Jeremy Corbyn. The speeches are given as avatars or through filmed contributions during the event.
The virtual meeting is expected to unfold in a digital auditorium styled after the Royal Courts of Justice in London, where Assange is expected to face his final appeal within the British justice system. The Sandbox is a virtual world controlled by the users where people can create their own games and experiences. In The Sandbox, you can buy something called LAND, which is like a piece of property in the digital world. You can use this virtual land to build games, items, and even entire experiences.
The meeting will take place on August 26, 2023 at 5:00 PM BST. The aim is to protest Assange’s extradition to the US, where he could face up to 175 years in prison on espionage charges. These allegations stem from the leak of information about the wrongdoings of the US government in Iraq and Afghanistan.
With the Wistaverse, each person at the rally has an avatar. This avatar can listen to speeches, watch videos and talk to other avatars during the virtual rally. The Wistaverse also keeps users’ real identities safe and allows everyone to participate.
A modern intersection of politics and technology
WikiLeaks, founded by AssangeIt is known to publish classified and sensitive information about various government misdeeds. However, this journalistic work has made him a target for various agencies, especially in the United States.
Assange’s connection to the tech world extends beyond this virtual rally. He has dabbled in Web3 technology before and has raised about $50 million through the sale of NFTs to help with his WikiLeaks case. A ‘Assange DAO‘ and $JUSTICE token were also created as part of the fundraiser.
This virtual gathering represents a convergence of politics, activism and technology. Using the metaverse and blockchain technology, Assange’s supporters are using modern tools to voice their protest and draw attention to his cause. The event highlights how the digital age continues to impact and reshape political engagement, bringing people together in new ways to rally around shared beliefs. It reflects the evolving landscape of activism, where traditional boundaries are crossed and innovative methods used to take a stand.