Police block Daily News in defiance of court order

New York, September 19, 2003—Yesterday evening, police again occupied the offices of the Daily News and prevented journalists from putting out a Friday edition of the paper. The move was in defiance of a High Court ruling that same day allowing the newspaper to reopen and directing police to return confiscated equipment.

Journalists at the Daily News said that immediately after the ruling, they returned to their offices and began work on a new edition. However, hours later police ordered them to leave. A source told CPJ that some journalists were allowed back into the building today to retrieve personal items, accompanied by a police escort.

The government has indicated that it will appeal Thursday’s High Court ruling. There has been no decision by the Media and Information Commission yet on the Daily News‘s application for registration.