‘I don’t know who Assange is’: global media circus bemuses sleepy Saipan

For the quiet island community of Saipan, the arrival of Julian Assange was something of a shock. Photograph: Samantha Salamon/EPA

Julian Assange’s court hearing in Saipan was the most high-profile event on the US Pacific island territory since the Japanese emperor visited in 2005 – not that many of the local people seemed to notice.

Even the airport police officers who were tasked with escorting the WikiLeaks founder were in the dark about his identity. “Honestly, I don’t even know the guy,” said one. “We didn’t even know he was coming until this morning.”