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Graz is Austria’s second largest, but actually a rar contemplative city. But once a year we are talking about big issues. At Elevate Festival, which stands for both electronic music and political discourse, it discusses freedom of information, democracy, activism. For 14th edition, which runs under motto risk/courage and started this Wednesday, elevate has landed a coup: Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, has held opening speech. Not personal, because Assange has been stuck in Ecuadorian embassy in London since 2012, but by live circuit. He doesn’t do that often. But elevate has good contacts to WikiLeaks. The British journalist Sarah Harrison already spoke in autumn 2016 in Graz. It is considered to be closest familiar Assange’s.
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Assange and his project WikiLeaks have been controversial for a long time, since Harrison’s performance has once again done a lot. The procedure for accusation of minor rape in Sweden against him was discontinued in 2017. The competent upper prosecutor, however, stressed that this was only pass because it was impossible to deliver accusations to him in a legally valid way.
Then re were e-mails: in US campaign, WikiLeaks released mails from Democrats ‘ circles, which has plunged Hillary Clinton’s campaign into chaos. A few weeks ago, US media The Intercept also reported private Twitter messages in which Twitter account @wikileaks sympathy for a Republican election victory. The Intercept assumes that this account has been personally managed by Assange.
I know that Assange is obviously a very difficult man. Magdalena, Festival visitor
The Elevate festival looked to be exposed to invitation Assange’s some criticism. “Julian Assange is for us someone who has shown courage and has risked everything,” says Daniel Laugher, who has helped to set up and organize event. We take criticism seriously, but have explicitly invited it as a tribute to its overall work of last ten years. WikiLeaks has done a lot: Edward Snowden helped to with military-industrial complex. Perhaps some have forgotten about last two years. “
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At about 7pm This Wednesday evening foyer of Grazer Orpheum fills slowly. Outside it is minus ten degrees, cold air pulls from all corners into building, which was once a cinema in 1950s. Many young people have come.
“No, we’re not here for Assange,” says Lena. The 26-year-old and her friend were Grazer and actually went to elevate every year. “Assange is an interesting personality, but so really conscious about him we have only been on our way here.” This is what many guests see: The inexpensive entrance tickets and many free events attract people of Graz. Assange is known, but most have only a vague idea of why festival was criticized for his appearance. “I know that he is obviously a very difficult man,” says Magdalena, also a regular elevate guest. “This is exactly what festival is all about: difficult but interesting guests.”
At 21.35 a.m. It will be ready. A short PR film from WikiLeaks will be shown. These are scenes in which personalities, such as former US Vice President Joe Biden or former adviser to George W. Bush, Karl Rove, Assange as terrorists and threaten him with harsh consequences until killing. Then a man with white hair and beard appears on huge screen: Julian Assange, most famous embassy fugitive in world.
