A violent attack struck the facilities of the RCN media outlet in Cali on Sunday, when a grenade exploded at the building’s entrance, causing property damage and shattering nearby home windows. According to the Bogotá-based Foundation for Press Freedom (FLIP), the explosion occurred roughly 30 minutes after the last RCN staff member had left for the day, and no injuries were reported.
The incident followed an earlier attempt on Saturday night, when an unidentified person on a motorcycle threw a grenade at the same entrance. That device failed to detonate, FLIP said.
RCN, one of Colombia’s major private media organizations, had recently published a report on police and military operations targeting illegal armed groups in Cali and surrounding areas. Authorities also reported a separate bomb attack late Saturday at a police station in Cali, which injured four people, including two officers.
Cali Mayor Alejandro Éder condemned the bombing as a “cowardly” response to the city’s intensified security measures. The city’s security secretary, Jairo García, announced a reward of 400 million pesos (US$106,666) for information leading to those responsible.
In a public statement, RCN denounced the attack as an effort to intimidate both journalists and the public and urged authorities to safeguard press freedom.
At Free Press Alliance, we condemn the attack in the strongest terms. Acts of violence against media outlets represent a direct assault on press freedom and an attempt to silence the flow of independent information. We urge authorities to ensure a thorough investigation and guarantee the safety of journalists and media workers in Cali and across Colombia.