German FM says she is ‘shocked’ at scenes from Abu Akleh’s funeral

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock expresses dismay at the death of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and shock at the clashes that broke out at her funeral yesterday.

“I am distraught by the death of Shireen Abu Akleh,” Baerbock tweets from the official German Foreign Office Twitter account. “Democracy depends on the work of courageous journalists. It is important that her death is transparently investigated.”

She also states that she is “personally shocked that her funeral service could not take place in peace & dignity.”

Videos from the funeral yesterday showed officers charging Palestinians who were holding and surrounding the casket, while beating them with batons and nearly toppling the coffin. Israel has faced widespread condemnation for the incident and Israeli police have opened an investigation into officers’ behavior.