Dame Vivienne Westwood, the godmother of punk who modified the style world without end, died this week on the age of 81.
Whereas many tributes have poured in for the influential designer because of her standing because the ‘undisputed Queen of British style’, Dame Vivienne was additionally a dedicated activist.
And the designer, who died peacefully surrounded by her household in Clapham, South London, was identified for advocating for a spread of points together with the setting.
One other trigger Dame Vivienne was deeply keen about was WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, with one among her most memorable interviews happening in July 2020, a day after she protested his extradition to the US – with the veteran designer clashing with BBC reporter Victoria Derbyshire.
Dame Vivienne Westwood received heated throughout a 2020 interview with BBC presenter Victoria Derbyshire about Julian Assange
To protest towards the extradition, the designer dressed as a canary and suspended herself in an enormous birdcage outdoors The Outdated Bailey in central London.
She defined that she had chosen that set-up as Julian Assange was ‘actually the canary within the cage’.
Chatting with Ms Derbyshire through the explosive interview, Dame Vivienne stated: ‘He has received to be set free of his cage and he can’t be extradited to America for his personal sake as a result of he can be embedded in a concrete jail for the remainder of his life.’
Nevertheless because the cameras drew away from Westwood on the finish of the interview, and reduce to Ms Derbyshire, the designer once more shouted ‘get me out of the cage’ because the deadpan BBC presenter continued: ‘Get me out of the cage I believe have been her final phrases.’
A day earlier than the interview, Dame Vivienne (pictured) protested the extradition outdoors the Outdated Bailey, suspended in an enormous chook cage
Earlier within the interview, the designer had stated: ‘He actually is the canary within the cage which is what I am dressed as much as be as a result of I’m Julian Assange.
‘It’s a sign for American authorities to arrest anyone in like for publishing the reality and as soon as they do it then that can be worldwide and if they’ll arrest Julian Assange for publishing struggle crimes which have been the reality then they have to arrest The Guardian, The New York Instances, Der Spiegel.
‘All people that additionally publishes info’.
Moments later the style designer went on to say that The Guardian had revealed the code for the paperwork figuring out activists, whistleblowers and informants earlier than Assange determined to launch it.
She stated: ‘What occurred is all his stuff was redacted however The Guardian had the code for the unredacted paperwork and so they revealed that code quantity.
‘Then after that Julian Assange determined additionally to launch it as a result of thought all these folks whose lives have been in peril needs to be warned towards it.’
Nevertheless when Ms Derbyshire instantly referred to as out the allegations and stated ‘The Guardian say that is absolute nonsense that they did that’, Westwood hit again on the presenter.
She responded: ‘You need him in concrete do not you? All of the media they’re simply such morons. Such brainwashed folks and also you’re one among them!’
Throughout the 2020 interview, Westwood stated America was inventing expenses towards the WikiLeaks founder
Earlier within the interview, Westwood refuted claims that the Wikileaks founder was being extradited as a result of he had hacked right into a U.S. division of defence laptop system and went on to say that America was ‘inventing expenses’.
She continued: ‘Sure however what I’m saying is that if they arrest him then all of them also needs to arrest the opposite folks.
‘They’re inventing expenses and match them to him. He’s a hacker so they’re charging him with hacking and that is received nothing to do with something as a result of all their expenses are worded in order to tick the field.
‘You’re responsible since you are responsible. Tick the field you’re a hacker due to this fact you’re a hacker aren’t you, sure responsible. I imply that is the way in which they’re coping with this case.’
Westwood additionally claimed that Assange wouldn’t be given due authorized course of if he have been to be flown to America.
Because the cameras drew away from Westwood and reduce to Victoria Derbyshire (pictured) the designer shouted ‘get me out of the cage’
She stated: ‘You’re assuming that he’s the topic of due authorized course of and it is the abuse of due authorized course of in his specific case that’s so unhealthy that if he had been a assassin or a drug seller it could have been thrown out of court docket.
‘You have to enable me to let you know precisely what has been occurring.’
Assange is needed within the U.S. to face expenses underneath the Espionage Act and conspiracy to commit laptop intrusion after the publication of lots of of 1000’s of categorized paperwork in 2010 and 2011.
Nevertheless, President Biden is reportedly dealing with rising strain to drop the costs towards Assange, who argues that his prosecution is an assault on journalism and free speech, which is politically motivated.
He is at present being held in London’s maximum-security Belmarsh jail, and has been since 2019.
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