Coffin carrying veteran journalist’s body proven falling as Israeli police beat mourners with batons

Mourners had marched from Jerusalem's Jaffa Gate to Mount Zion cemetery. They were met with violence on the St. Joseph hospital complicated by Israeli police after they tried to hold Abu Akleh's coffin, which Al Jazeera footage showed being rocked after which falling out of the arms of a number of the pallbearers, as Israeli police beat them with batons.

Crowds walked behind as Abu Akleh's rose-covered coffin was carried by pallbearers and lain right down to rest next to her dad and mom' grave. Church bells echoed through the cemetery.

The burial was going down a day after a memorial procession that brought thousands to the West Bank metropolis of Ramallah.

Mourners flocked to the town's streets on Friday and huddled in entrance of St. Joseph hospital in East Jerusalem, where Abu Akleh's physique remained till the burial. Muslims performed Friday prayers and mourners chanted "walking, walking on foot," demanding that Abu Akleh's coffin be carried and transported on foot from the hospital to the Greek Catholic church, where a service will be held, and then to the burial website. Israeli police had been lined exterior the hospital, in response to CNN reporters. Police roadblocks had been arrange around the hospital.

Mourners carried Abu Akleh's coffin out of the hospital, however have been met with robust resistance from Israeli police who compelled them to move the physique by automotive. A flash bomb and tear gasoline have been fired, in keeping with CNN reporters.

Al Jazeera live footage showed Israeli police beating mourners with batons as they struggled to carry Abu Akleh's coffin. The body was in flip brought again inside the hospital and then transported by automotive, stated Al Jazeera.

Footage on social media and Al Jazeera confirmed Abu Akleh's coffin being rocked forwards and backwards and then falling as Israeli police beat pallbearers with batons. It was not instantly clear if the coffin hit the ground.

Israeli police in an announcement mentioned that "tons of of rioters started to disrupt public order, even before the funeral began," as they worked to safe the procession.

"Hundreds of people gathered outdoors the French hospital (St. Joseph hospital) in Sheikh Jarrah and commenced chanting nationalist incitement," added the statement.

"In the direction of the exit of the casket from the hospital, rioters started throwing stones towards the policemen from the French hospital plaza, and the policemen have been pressured to behave."

Thousands were packed inside and outdoors the church as Abu Akleh's body arrived. Girls had been heard ululating in mourning and monks sang Christian hymns in Arabic because the coffin, draped in Palestinian flags, was carried via the crowd.

The circumstances of her demise stay unclear. The Palestinian Authority on Thursday denied Israel's offer of a joint investigation, insisting on an unbiased course of and vowing to try these accused of her killing to the Worldwide Prison Court (ICC).

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohamed Shtayyeh informed Al Jazeera on Thursday that the outcomes of their investigation might be released quickly and will include the autopsy report.

Israeli military investigators confiscated the guns of some IDF troops as part of their inquiry, reported the Washington Submit on Thursday, citing an unnamed IDF official. The weapons were taken in order that they are often made available for ballistics testing, the official said.

Givara Al-Buderi, a fellow Al Jazeera correspondent and a close personal friend of Abu Akleh, said she saw the entry wound of a bullet simply above the correct eyebrow and was advised by the physician that part of the bullet had remained lodged in Abu Akleh's skull.

Al-Buderi was known as by medical doctors to help remove Abu Akleh's clothing and alter her for the funeral.

"We took off her clothes and needed to put a white costume on her," Al-Buderi told CNN, "I attempted to put my hand behind her head, but there was nothing there."

"I felt around however there was nothing, nothing left."

An earlier version of this story incorrectly acknowledged where Shireen Abu Akleh's funeral service was due to be held. It was being held at a Greek Catholic Church.

CNN's Nadeen Ebrahim, Mostafa Salem and Celine Alkhaldi in Abu Dhabi contributed reporting.