New York Post 'Apology': Animal New York Inserts Fake Mea Culpa Into Newspapers

The New York Post may have been roundly criticized for its coverage of the Boston Marathon bombings.

It may have been tarred and feathered for, among other things, splashing the faces of two innocent men on its front page, reporting that 12 people instead of three had been killed in the attacks, and falsely saying that another innocent man was a "suspect" in the bombings. It may have inspired media critics like Jack Shafer to write things like, "This week, at least, in its stunning contempt for fact, it has defined the basement into which no media outlet that wants respect wishes to descend."

But the Post has not apologized for its errors. Rather, it has staunchly stood by its coverage. So, on Friday, the website Animal New York decided to take matters into its own hands.

The site wrote up a fake "apology" from editor Col Allan, and proceeded to slip the apology into copies of Friday's Post. It then handed the copies out to people on the street.

In the letter, "Allan" writes, "This week, the New York Post has acted recklessly and with flagrant disregard for the principles of good journalism." He also says that the paper's reporting was "at best ill-informed and speculative, and at worst intentionally misleading and harmful to the lives of those involved."

Read the full apology here.