Live Updates: WikiLeaks Founder Assange's Extradition Hearings Resume

"I’ve been a reporter for more than 50 years and I’ve never known a smear campaign like this one: the fabricated character assassination of a man who refused to join the club, who believed that journalism was a service to the public and never to those above", John Shipton said at the rally.

Assange's father believes that freedom of the press now rests with "the honourable few".

"The exceptions, the dissidents on the Internet who belong to no club, who are neither rich nor laid with Pulitzer prizes, but produce fine, disobedient, moral journalism; those like Julian Assange", Shipton concluded.

"Our call should be clear and unequivocal: end these proceedings now, free Julian Assange, and defend free expression wherever it’s threatened", Tim Dawson, National Union of Journalists president said.

"We need to show our determination to have this extradition request dismissed because the future of journalism is at stake. There is so much at stake here", Kristinn Hrafnsson said. "Let’s keep up the fight, let’s stay strong. Let’s not rely on hope; let’s fight for justice".