Let’s say you’re a reporter with advance knowledge that police will raid an abandoned old department store building to evict homeless squatters protesting the fact that the location hasn’t been converted to free housing as promised by the government. Let’s also say that you are in telephone contact with those inside the target building.

Do you tell those inside the building about police plans?

Police in Vancouver,  B.C. claim reporters did exactly that. Now, they are investigating and threatening to charge media members with obstruction of justice and violating a court order to vacate the building, according to an article on Canada.com.

According the story, police say reporters actually went further than tipping off protestors in the building. “Riot squad officers were blinded by bright camera lights as they entered the dilapidated Woodward’s building Saturday to evict homeless squatters who had been there for over a week," the story said.

“Certain phone calls were made to certain media inside that building and in fact people that were in that building were being briefed as to the police activity outside,” said the Vancouver police chief.

According to police, protestors had erected barricades and other fortifications in stairwells.

“We have a situation where police are coming into a possibly volatile situation,” said a spokeswoman for the force. “Members of the media giving advance notice to the individuals inside certainly affects police officer safety.”

Ultimately, more than 60 people were arrested both inside and on the street outside the abandoned store, the article said.

She also said that members of the news media “were warned not to be present at the protest.”

At Interviewing, we’d love to hear opinions on this one, especially if you are a news reporter or other member of the news media.

If reporters did give building occupants advance notice of the police raid, is there any justification for that action? Should reporters have heeded police warnings to stay away from the protest? And what about the TV lights allegedly blinding police officers as they entered the building? An acceptable action in pursuit of the public’s right to know?