Fury as cost of policing Julian Assange’s Ecuador Embassy hideaway soars past £10MILLION

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It is now believed the cost of policing the Embassy has now soared past 10million, it emerged today.

Metropolitan Police officers have been standing outside the building in Knightsbridge, west London, since Mr Assange took shelter there in June 2012.

Police are forced to patrol the outside of the Embassy in case he steps foot on British soil, in which case he would be arrested.

Scotland Yard spent 9million on policing the building to the end of October, according to figures released in a Freedom of Information request from LBC Radio.

Mr Assange has been holed up in the Embassy for a further 96 days since these figures were released - meaning that the actual total amount spent by the force today has passed the 10million mark, or roughly 10,500 a day.

Mr Assange, 43, is seeking to avoid extradition to Sweden where he is wanted for questioning over claims he assaulted two women in Stockholm - which he denies.

Nearly six months ago he said he would be leaving the Embassy soon as his health was deteriorating, but he has yet to leave and has now been there for 959 days.

PA

A Foreign Office spokesman said today: "We remain as committed as ever to reaching a diplomatic solution to this situation. We are clear that our laws must be followed and Mr Assange should be extradited to Sweden.

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Fury as cost of policing Julian Assange's Ecuador Embassy hideaway soars past £10MILLION