Assange ignores police request to surrender Julian Assange, the head of WikiLeaks who is claiming asylum in the Ecuadorean embassy in London in an effort to avoid extradition to Sweden, refused a request from the Metropolitan Police to give himself up on Friday. The Metropolitan Police sent a letter to Mr Assange on Thursday asking him to report to a police station in Belgravia on Friday morning, after his 10-day stay in the Ecuadorean embassy placed him in breach of his bail conditions. Susan Benn, Mr Assange's lawyer, said that Mr Assange had been "advised that he should decline to comply with the police request." Ms Benn continued: "This should not be considered any sign of disrespect. Under both international and domestic UK law, asylum assessments take priority over extradition claims. The WikiLeaks founder will instead remain in the Ecuadorean embassy while his application for asylum is considered. Speaking outside the Ecuadorean embassy, Ms Benn claimed that the US government had "instigated a grand jury" against her client and that Mr Assange "did not feel safe from US extradition in the UK." Mr Assange surprised his supporters, including those who paid his £240,000 bail, by walking into the embassy to claim asylum last Tuesday. He is wanted in Sweden for questioning over allegations of rape and sexual assault and faces arrest if he leaves the embassy.