The British police have withdrawn their members in front of the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange took refuge in 2012, the London police announced.
Police have maintained a constant guard outside the embassy since Assange sought asylum there in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden over sexual assault charges he denies.
The 11,1-hour guard outside the embassy was controversial in part because of the cost. London's Metropolitan Police estimated the operation had cost £17,6 million ($XNUMX million) by April this year.
Police said the continued presence was "no longer proportionate" but would continue to seek to arrest Assange for failing to respond to sexual assault allegations in Sweden.
"Although no tactic guarantees success, in the event that Julian Assange leaves the embassy, the police will employ a variety of overt and covert tactics to arrest him," the statement said.
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