This story originally appeared in Mondoweiss on May 13, 2022. It is shared here with permission.

Original story updated at 1:12 pm GMT

The funeral of slain Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh came to an end on Friday afternoon as her body was laid to rest in the Mount Zion Protestant Cemetery in Jerusalem, surrounded by her family, friends, colleagues, and mourners from across Palestine.

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Thousands of Palestinians took part in the procession, filling up the streets of occupied East Jerusalem, as they waited to carry Abu Akleh’s casket to the cemetery from the Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Virgin, where the service was held.

According to local media, church bells across Jerusalem rung out as the procession made its way through the city.

Israeli police attack mourners

Israeli police forces in occupied East Jerusalem attacked the funeral of Shireen Abu Akleh, 51, on Friday afternoon, beating funeral goers and firing sound grenades into the procession.

The attack on the procession began as mourners began to move Abu Akleh’s casket from the St Louis French Hospital in Sheikh Jarrah, to the Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Virgin where the funeral and prayer service will be held.

Live video footage from Al Jazeera showed groups of heavily armed Israeli police officers attacking the large procession, beating people with batons and firing stun grenades into the crowd, and ripping Palestinian flags out of the hands of mourners.

In the video Israeli forces could be seen violently pushing back the crowd, and attacking the mourners who were carrying her casket, at one point causing the casket to fall, almost completely knocking it to the ground.

Al Jazeera reported that Israeli police targeted mourners because “they did not want them to walk with Abu Akleh’s casket” to the church, ordering that her body must be transported in a hearse–which is uncustomary to Palestinian funerals, specifically the funerals of martyrs. 

Al Jazeera reported that Israeli police arrested at least four Palestinians for carrying Palestinian flags.