Greek protesters forced an Israeli-owned cruise ship to reroute after blocking its docking in Syros, denouncing Israel’s ongoing massacre in Gaza.
The cruise ship owned by Israeli company Mano Maritime, carrying around 1,600 tourists, was denied docking at the Greek island of Syros on Tuesday after hundreds of anti-Israel demonstrators prevented passengers from disembarking.
The “Crown Iris” was forced to change course and head to Cyprus after over 300 protesters, waving Palestinian flags and chanting anti-Israeli slogans, blocked access to the port.
Banners reading “Stop the Genocide” were held up by demonstrators, who had organized the protest in advance through social media, calling for solidarity with Palestinians under Israeli bombardment.
“It is unacceptable that tourists from Israel continue to be welcomed here while Palestinians are suffering in the Strip,” the protesters stated.
“As residents of Syros but more so as human beings, we are taking action that we hope will contribute to stopping this destruction from the genocidal war that is taking place in our neighborhood,” the organizers declared.
Passengers who initially attempted to disembark were ordered back on board due to security concerns.
Mano Maritime acknowledged the disruption, stating the ship faced a peaceful protest that ultimately blocked all access.
“The ship arrived at Syros, encountered a demonstration by pro-Palestinian supporters, and passengers were stuck on board without permission to disembark,” the company said.
The firm initially described the event as a “slight delay,” anticipating the protest would clear, but when the standoff extended past 3 p.m., the decision was made to abandon the stop and head for Limassol, Cyprus.
Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar reportedly contacted his Greek counterpart over the incident, according to Greece’s Foreign Ministry, though no further details were released.
Although the protest concluded without any injuries or arrests, it highlights growing concern in Greece over Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Since launching its genocidal war on October 7, 2023, the Israeli regime has slaughtered at least 59,106 people in Gaza and injured more than 142,511 others.