Actor Anthony LaPaglia criticizes Oz govt over lack of support for Assange

Sydney, Aug 23 (ANI): Actor Anthony LaPaglia has criticised the Australian Government for not offering support to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

LaPaglia said he is a fan of Assange, and that his presumption of innocence was being overlooked.

"I happen to be a fan [of Assange]. I'm all for free speech and old-school journalism; it's telling it like it is. This is others suppressing the truth and suppressing information to the public," News.com.au quoted LaPaglia, as saying.

"I am a little dismayed by the [Australian] government's lack of effort here. He's an Australian citizen and you are innocent until proven guilty. They [the Australian government] have the American cattle prod in their back and are sort of dancing to that tune. What happens to the fact you're an Australian citizen?" he added.

LaPaglia said Australians should blame for the state of local politics and the attitude of politicians, who forget they are supposed to be working for their electorates and not for themselves.

"We elect them, we pay their everything and yet they represent us so badly sometimes," the report quoted him, as saying.

LaPaglia will appear in the upcoming telemovie about Assange's early life, Underground, which has been invited to screen at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival. (ANI)