The New York Times building in midtown Manhattan is now protected by concrete police department security barriers, part of the newspaper’s broader efforts to ensure security at a time of intense political-media hostility.
“They are part of our continuing efforts to enhance security at our headquarters building,” a Times spokesperson said in an email.
The company said Wednesday in a staff memo provided to The Hollywood Reporter that the barricades are temporary and were requested by the newspaper.
“This is not a response to any specific threat, nor does it mean that we believe that The Times is at greater risk than other New York companies and institutions,” the company said in the memo. “The temporary barriers will remain in place as we explore a more permanent solution, e.g., adding bollards.”
On Twitter, a Times employee called the barricades “a really unfortunate sign of the times (lowercase T).”
The NYPD public information office has not yet responded to a request for comment on the barriers.
Newsroom security has been top-of-mind throughout the Trump presidency, as threats against the media — and particular journalists, such as CNN’s Jim Acosta and contributor April Ryan — have skyrocketed.
“Nothing is more important than you feeling safe in the office and in the field,” CNN president Jeff Zucker told employees at a town hall in January.
