Bomb attack damages independent media outlet’s headquarters in Colombia

Bogotá, Colombia —The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Colombian authorities to take comprehensive steps to ensure the safety of RCN media employees after a reported bomb attack on the outlet’s headquarters in the western city of Cali, and bring those responsible to account.

Authorities told local outlets that a device, believed to be a grenade, exploded at the entrance of RCN’s building Sunday evening, causing minor damage and busting the windows out of homes nearby. According to the Bogotá-based Foundation for Press Freedom (FLIP), the device exploded around 30 minutes after the last RCN employee had left the building and there were no injuries. 

The attack came a day after an unidentified motorcyclist threw a grenade at the building’s entrance on Saturday night that did not explode, FLIP reported.

“It is outrageous that a media outlet should suffer such an attack simply for doing its job of keeping society informed about matters of public interest,” said Cristina

Zahar, Latin America program coordinator, in São Paulo. “Colombian authorities must ensure all of Cali’s journalists can do their jobs without fear of reprisal.”

RCN, one of Colombia’s largest private media companies, had recently reported on police and army operations against illegal armed groups in and around Cali. A reported bomb attack on a Cali police station also on Saturday night left four people injured, including two police officers.

Cali Mayor Alejandro Éder called the bombing a “cowardly” attack that came in response to the city’s security crackdown. Cali’s security secretary, Jairo García, announced a 400 million-peso (US$106,666) reward for information leading to the capture of the perpetrators. 

In a statement, RCN condemned the attack as an attempt to intimidate Colombians and called on authorities to ensure press freedom.

Alejandro Galarza, a spokesman for Colombia’s Attorney General, told CPJ that his office is investigating the attacks on RCN.