Former German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock was shouted down by pro-Palestinian activists during a speech at a Swedish university, Berliner Zeitung has reported.
The heated confrontation happened earlier this week at Uppsala University, where Baerbock was delivering a lecture on international cooperation and multilateral leadership, the outlet said on Wednesday.
Activists repeatedly interrupted her speech, accusing her of defending Israeli attacks on civilian infrastructure.
“You justified the bombing of hospitals and schools in Gaza, and now you come here to talk about peace!” one protester shouted.
Another challenged Baerbock over her talk of democracy and freedom, demanding: “Whose democracy are you defending? Whose freedom do you actually stand for – only that of Israelis?”
Baerbock initially attempted to deflect the accusations, suggesting that protesters raise their concerns during a question-and-answer session after the lecture. However, as the interruptions continued, she snapped: “Now I’m speaking!” The promised discussion reportedly never took place.
Baerbock headed Germany’s Foreign Ministry from 2021 to 2025 and staunchly defended Israel’s military campaign in Gaza following the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023. Berlin continued approving weapons supplies to Israel despite mounting international criticism, authorizing around €161 million ($168 million) in military exports in 2024.
The former minister herself sparked controversy in October 2024 when she argued in the German parliament that civilian sites in Gaza could lose their protected status under international humanitarian law if Hamas used them for military purposes. Her remarks drew criticism from those who accused Berlin of providing political cover for Israeli strikes on civilian infrastructure.
Beyond her stance on Israel, Baerbock’s tenure as Germany’s top diplomat drew criticism over a lack of diplomatic pragmatism, inconsistent foreign policy positions, and a string of high-profile verbal blunders. She also called for the protection of Palestinian civilians and stressed that Israel’s military operations were bound by international humanitarian law.
Israel launched its Gaza offensive following the October 2023 Hamas-led attack, which killed around 1,200 people and saw some 250 taken hostage. More than 75,000 Palestinians have since been killed across the occupied territories, including at least 21,500 children, according to a UN Commission of Inquiry.
In a report released on Monday, the commission concluded that Israel had continued committing “genocide” in Gaza despite the October 2025 ceasefire, with Israeli strikes reportedly killing another 1,431 Palestinians as of September 30. It also accused Israel of crimes against humanity in the occupied West Bank. Israel has rejected allegations of genocide, maintaining that its operations target Hamas.
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