Council flip: Media’s OK

THE CITY COUNCIL reversed course Tuesday and said the press would no longer be barred from its side of City Hall.

Council security had abruptly blocked reporters Monday from a swath of the public building’s east wing that has been open for decades, putting new rules in place after Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito said she wanted to shield sensitive talks from public attention.

But the area was reopened Tuesday, and Council spokeswoman Robin Levine said only the speaker’s suite of offices would be off limits.

The blocked-off area included a hallway and stairwells where reporters often speak to lawmakers, and where public documents related to the Council’s agenda are distributed.