Merkel defends free press after protest row

Angela Merkel stressed the importance of media freedom yesterday amid a scandal over police who obstructed a TV crew at a far-right rally against her.

The incident in Dresden, in the former communist east, caused outrage which grew when it emerged that the protester at the centre of the row was an off-duty police employee. The chancellor stressed her “strong commitment to press freedom” and said demonstrators must accept that they may be filmed at rallies.