New York, October 30, 2024—French authorities must complete their investigation and take steps to ensure the safety of journalists at Radio BIP and its online newspaper Média 25 following the recent attack on the outlet’s offices, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday.
“CPJ is alarmed by the recent attack on Radio BIP/Média 25’s headquarters, which follows a disturbing pattern of harassment against this media outlet over the past two years,” said Attila Mong, CPJ’s Europe representative. “Such attacks not only threaten the physical safety of journalists but also create a climate of fear that can severely impact independent reporting. French authorities must take this attack seriously, bring all perpetrators to justice, and implement measures to ensure that journalists can report on issues of public interest safely and without fear of reprisal.”
On the evening of October 21, unidentified individuals wearing gloves kicked the front door and attempted to forcibly enter the premises of Radio BIP/Média 25’s headquarters in Besançon, eastern France. They triggered the station’s security alarm, damaging the door and lock before fleeing.
Radio BIP/Média 25, a media outlet known for its reporting on local far-right groups in Besançon, has experienced a series of incidents over the past two years. In May 2022, unknown individuals broke into and entered its premises, robbing equipment; in another incident that same month, its garage door window was broken and an advertising banner was ripped off—followed by successive incidents in which the station received a bomb threat, had its garage door was damaged overnight, and was vandalized with painted swastikas.
CPJ emailed the Besançon police department requesting comment on the ongoing investigation but did not receive a reply.
This content originally appeared on Committee to Protect Journalists and was authored by CPJ Staff.
CPJ Staff | Radio Free (2024-10-30T20:50:08+00:00) French media outlet known for reporting on far-right comes under fresh attack. Retrieved from https://www.radiofree.org/2024/10/30/french-media-outlet-known-for-reporting-on-far-right-comes-under-fresh-attack/
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