A funeral procession for a well-known Middle Eastern journalist quickly devolved into chaos on Friday after mourners and Israeli police began fighting over how to transport her body to the burial site.
At least four people were arrested after Israeli police were called to St. Joseph’s Hospital in East Jerusalem, where hundreds were gathered to mourn Shireen Abu Akleh, a veteran journalist for Al Jazeera who was killed earlier this week while covering an Israeli military raid. Israeli police and mourners clashed at the scene where Abu Akleh's body was stored overnight, though no injuries were reported.
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The conflict stemmed from a demand from several mourners who began to carry the coffin to a cemetery on the Mount of Olives on foot rather than by hearse. Protesters began blocking the hospital’s entrance to prevent the hearse from parking, with several seen hitting the car with sticks until it pulled away. This prompted a response from Abu Akleh’s brother, who pleaded with the crowd to “let us put her in the car and finish the day,” according to the Washington Post.
Mourners then carried the coffin out of the hospital on their shoulders, moments before Israeli police deployed stun gun grenades and tear gas, according to CNN reporters on the scene. Live footage also showed protesters throwing rocks at officers as police beat some mourners with batons amid the chaos.
Officials were able to retrieve the coffin from mourners and placed it in the hearse to transport her body to the cemetery, according to Al Jazeera.
Abu Akleh, 51, was killed while reporting on a raid by Israeli forces in the city of Jenin earlier this week. While Al Jazeera claims she was killed by soldiers from the Israeli Defense Forces, the military has shifted its stance on whether forces aligned with the Palestinian Authority may have had a role in the death.
The journalist’s death has elicited widespread unrest, as officials worldwide have demanded investigations. Several reporters claim they came under fire despite wearing press vests, that there were no Palestinian Authority forces around at the time of the shooting, and that it was a directed attack.
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While both the Palestinian Authority and Israel pointed fingers at each other, medical officials say it is impossible to determine who is to blame.
The bullet that killed Abu Akleh was not fired at close range, forensics experts said, raising questions as to who fired the deadly shot. Israel has pushed for access to ballistics and other information to help investigate the incident, but the Palestinian Authority has so far rejected those requests.