The cost of policing the Ecuadorian embassy while WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been holed up inside has exceeded £5m, according to figures reported by the Huffington Post.
The Metropolitan Police has monitored the embassy in Knightsbridge, west London, every day and night for the past 20 months since Assange was granted asylum in his battle against extradition to Sweden.
The Australian activist has sought refuge at the embassy to stop him being extradited to Sweden to face sexual offence allegations.