HUNDREDS of supporters of investigative journalist Julian Assange protested in London on Saturday against his potential extradition to the US.

Mr Assange, 48, is wanted in the US over publication of evidence of US war crimes on the Wikileaks website which he founded.

The crimes he exposed included US soldiers in Iraq shooting from a helicopter gunship and murdering civilians. The US government says that exposing the murders is a crime.

If Mr Assange is extradited and found guilty he could face a 175-year prison sentence.

He is being held in Belmarsh prison in south-east London as he awaits the start of next week’s full extradition hearing.

His supporters began their march at Australia House in Holborn and ended with a rally in Parliament Square.

Many carried banners and placards with messages including “Don’t extradite Assange” and “Journalism is not a crime.”

Opening the speeches in Parliament Square, Mr Assange’s father John Shipton said: “I look over the crowd and see many familiar faces supporting Julian and I thank you.”

He described the imprisonment of his son as “arbitrary detention” and urged those at the rally to fight to “free Julian from the Niagara of malice that emanates from the Crown Prosecution Service.”

Editor in chief of Wikileaks Kristinn Hrafnsonnalso took the stage and told the crowds of people that Mr Assange was facing a “dark force.”

He said: “We must stop it. We must stop this force, this is not about left or right in politics, we can unite on this. It is a dark force against us who want justice, transparency and truth.”

Musician Roger Waters, economist Yanis Varoufakis and fashion designer Vivienne Westwood also gave speeches in support of the investigative journalist.

More than 40 international legal experts have sent a letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to tell him that the “rule of law be upheld” before Mr Assange’s hearing on February 24, claiming he has not had proper access to his legal team.

It also urged the British legal community to act “urgently” to secure Assange’s release.

The letter was handed into 10 Downing Street on Saturday.

Harry Dunn’s family spokesman Radd Seiger said: “Despite its disgraceful refusal to extradite Anne Sacoolas, the US continues to seek the extradition of people in the UK such as Julian Assange.

“In doing so, they are demonstrating an extraordinary amount of hypocrisy and the double standards on display are unprecedented.”