SUPPORTERS of Julian Assange will hold a picnic opposite Parliament today to mark the WikiLeaks founder’s 50th birthday.

There will be giant picnic blankets in Parliament Square stencilled with a Free Assange slogan, and the Australian’s partner Stella Moris will cut a birthday cake.

It will be the third birthday he has spent in London’s high-security Belmarsh prison.

His supporters sailed past Parliament and the US embassy earlier this week as part of a growing campaign to free him.

An attempt to extradite Mr Assange to the US was rejected in January, but he continues to be held in prison pending an appeal.

Ms Moris said that the US case had “sunk,” adding there was growing support across the world for Mr Assange to be released.

She has asked the authorities in Belmarsh if the couple can get married, saying it should be a right for anyone.

She hopes Mr Assange will be granted permission to marry outside the prison.

“We will celebrate his birthday – and have cake,” she added.

A number of Australian politicians have appealed to the US government to drop its Espionage Act charges against him.

MPs and senators have urged US President Joe Biden to take the “opportunity for urgent reconsideration,” following a British court’s decision to deny the US extradition request earlier this year.

John Rees, who organises events to keep up the pressure for Mr Assange’s release, said: “Momentum is building across the world for our campaign. The case against Julian is collapsing.”