Police stopped an American newspaper journalist from visiting the site of the Juyuan Middle School in Juyuan Town, Sichuan. Although the correspondent had a valid press pass to report on the earthquake, issued by the Sichuan provincial government, he was told he could not enter the town unless he registered with authorities in Dujiangyan City.
In Dujiangyan, the head of the foreign affairs office, Dong Guonei, said by telephone there was no need for foreign journalists to register and the reporter should be able to visit the school, where one teaching building collapsed in the earthquake. But she added that the police in Juyuan would not listen to her.
Arriving back in Juyuan, the journalist walked towards the school but was stopped by a police officer at a roadblock. The officer said that no journalists, Chinese or foreign, could enter. The policeman apologized and said he was only following orders. He refused to give his name; his badge number was 004175.