OpFreeAssange: Anonymous Attacks UK Government Websites in Assange Protest [VIDEO]

Anonymous hacking collective has launched a DDoS attack against UK government sites, including the Ministry of Justice website, in a dramatic protest against Britain position on Julian Assange's granting of political asylum by Ecuador.

Along with the Ministry of Justice website that was taken offline for several hours, the hacktivists targeted the Prime Minister's website and the UK Department for Work and Pensions.

"#OpFreeAssange: TANGO DOWN! justice.gov.uk [500 Internal Server Error] [#Anonymous #WikiLeaks]," twitted prominent hacktivist Anon_Central.

The Justice Department confirmed it was "experiencing some disruptions."

"This is a public information website and no sensitive data is held on it. No other Ministry of Justice systems have been affected," the department said in a statement. "Measures put in place to keep the website running mean that some visitors may be unable to access the site intermittently."

Assange has been granted political asylum by the government of Ecuador who cited genuine fears over his safety and security.

The WikiLeaks' founder addressed supporters and the world's media on the balcony of the Ecuadorian embassy in Knightsbridge, London, where he has been sheltering for the last two months to avoid extradition to Sweden for questioning over sexual misconduct allegations.

Police remain in front of the embassy ready to handcuff Assange should he step outside the building.

The operation, dubbed #OpFreeAssange, consolidates the strong ties between the whistleblowing site and the loose-knit collective, after a furious Twitter spat between a single Anonymous-related Twitter account and WikiLeaks over the disclosure of two million e-mails from Syria political elite.

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