Photo: Mohammed El Shaiky/Xinhua

A scene of clashes in Benghazi, Libya.

Benghazi — A massive bomb blast completely levelled a police station in Benghazi's al-Hadaek neighbourhood on Wednesday (June 19th).

Four days earlier and in the same the same al-Hadaek neighbourhood, Libya's first independent TV station suffered a grenade attack.

"As the channel was targeted in a terrorist attack that caused material and moral damages to personnel and neighbours, and in an effort to protect lives and as a precaution against any terrorist act, the channel has decided to move its headquarters from al-Hadaek as of June 15th," Libya al-Hurra announced. "May God preserve Libya as a free country and protect our channel!"

TV presenter Tareq El-Issawi heard a "huge bang" while he was on the air.

"We went outside and saw our colleague Mohammed al-Aqouri wounded after a hand grenade was hurled at his face," El-Issawi said.

The attack was at least the third in two years targeting the station, widely considered as the channel of the revolution. Last October, demonstrators ransacked the station's headquarters. The station was founded by Mohamed Nabbous, who was slain during the anti-Kadhafi revolt.

Culture Minister Habib Al-Amin condemned the latest attack as an assault on press freedom.

"Media institutions can't work amid intimidation and accusations of treason, and we won't stay silent over any attacks on them," he said.

"What is the purpose behind this attack? Is this the Libya we were aspiring to after the revolution? Differences are desired, but we want dialogue, balanced discourse and truth," Al-Amin added.

The minister called for all parties to preserve Libya and its institutions. Otherwise, he warned, Libyan citizens would pay the price.

Media professionals were equally angered by the TV station attack.

Tripoli University communications professor Khaled Gholam said that the attack was "further proof of the violation of press freedom", while Al-Arabiya's correspondent in Libya, Mahmoud al-Farjani, demanded that "all parties get the media out of political conflicts".

Saber al-Fitouri, editor-in-chief of al-Maidan, lamented the crisis facing Libyan media outlets.

"After four decades of dictatorship, it seems that the dominant feature for Libyans is not to accept differences, as if another opinion must be confronted with force or violence," al-Fitouri said.

For political science student Ahmed Abdul Latif, the beleaguered TV station "succeeded in attracting the people and in bringing them together on its screen".

Libya al-Hurra was targeted, he said, to "silence that voice".