A cruise ship owned by an Israeli company, with approximately 1,600 tourists on board, was denied permission to dock at the Greek island of Syros as a gathering of pro-Palestinian protesters prevented the passengers from disembarking over the war in Gaza
The “Crown Iris” cruise ship, operated by Israeli shipping giant Mano Maritime, was forced to reroute to Cyprus on Tuesday after more than 300 demonstrators blocked access to the port area.
The protesters chanted slogans, waved Palestinian flags, and held banners reading “Stop the Genocide,” prompting local authorities to deploy police to the scene.
Passengers who first tried to disembark were swiftly redirected back due to security concerns.
The protest, which was organized by a group of the island’s residents prior to the ship’s arrival, said on social media that the purpose of the demonstration was to “raise their fists in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.”
“It is unacceptable that tourists from Israel continue to be welcomed here while the Palestinians are suffering in the Strip,” the protesters said.
“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,” they said in a statement.
Mano Maritime later confirmed the protest, saying the demonstration, while peaceful, had disrupted the scheduled visit.
“The ship arrived at Syros, encountered a demonstration by pro-Palestinian supporters, and passengers were stuck on board without permission to disembark,” it said.
The Israeli shipping firm initially announced a “slight delay” in disembarking the ship, expecting the demonstration to disperse within half an hour. However, as 3 p.m. passed and the delay extended, it made the decision to skip Syros completely and redirect the ship to Limassol in Cyprus instead.
The Greek Foreign Ministry also confirmed that Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar had contacted his Greek counterpart over the incident, without providing any further details.
Although the protest concluded without any injuries or arrests, it highlights growing concern in Greece over Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Israel launched its genocidal war against Gaza on October 7, 2023 and has killed at least 59,106 people and wounded 142,511 others.