Hundreds of Israeli tourists on aboard of Israel flagged cruise ship Crown Iris were planning to have a break at the island of Syros in the Cyclades on Tuesday. However, their travel plans took a U-turn due to a Pro-Palestinian protest: the tourists spent hours onboard of the ship at the entrance of the port, watched the protest and the beautiful Ermoupolis from afar and had to continue their cruise without being able to disembark.
Pro-Palestine protesters gathered at the port and blocked their disembarkation thus defying police attempting to ban the protest in solidarity with Palestinians and keep them under control.
Again and again, for hours, the young and old protesters chanted “Freedom for Palestine!”
The “Crown Iris” arrived shortly after at 12 noon and had to depart three and a half hours earlier that its schedule at 6:30 pm.
The some 1,700 passengers, the majority of them Israelis, remained all this time onboard and were not able to disembark in Ermoupolis.
מאות ישראלים שהפליגו ליוון עם "מנו ספנות" לא מורשים לרדת לרציף בגלל הפגנה פרו-פלסטינית נגד ישראל וחשש לשלומם. בנתיים הישראלים ממתינים על הספינה. צילום: אוריה pic.twitter.com/QpyUspqKDJ
— איתי בלומנטל 🇮🇱 Itay Blumental (@ItayBlumental) July 22, 2025
According to local media koinignomi.gr, they were watching the protest from the decks, holding the Israeli flags.
With #Palestine flag covering large part of the port of #Syros island Greeks in soaring temperatures block disembarking of #Israel flag ship Iris
Police had attempted banning solidarity protests #IsraelTerroristState#antireport#Greece pic.twitter.com/9F2pIpDsJP— Christina Themelis (@tinathemelis) July 22, 2025
It is noted that the early departure of the Crown Iris was “forced”” by the demonstration, since the protesters participants remained at the entrance to the parking lot, shouting slogans against Israel and in favor of Palestine. Throughout the entire duration of the protest, forces of Police and Coast Guard were in the area.
Protesters cheered when they saw that the Crown Iris was starting its engines with the aim to leave the port of Syros. They shouted at them “Have a nice trip!” and “With Palestine toward Freedom! Neither to Syros nor anywhere!” and “children’s murderers!”
Security bans anger the locals
Tension was already high on the island even before the Israelis arrived or the ship docked as the Port Authority had imposed traffic restrictions and a parking ban at the big parking of the port at “Nissaki” (120 lots) area that is normally used also by locals who want to go shopping or do other businesses in the capital of the island, Ermoupolis.
Traffic restrictions and ban would last 12 hours from 6 am to 6:30 pm on Tuesday.
The Port Authority justified its decision citing security reasons and in order to facilitate the movements of the Israeli tourists.
The traffic restrictions triggered reactions from local residents, employees, business-people, shop-owners and organizations, who sharply objected the ban saying that the historical center of the town would be isolated, while locals and (other) tourists would be excluded from the daily life, local media reported. “Revenues from the cruise ship passengers would not compensate us for the financial loses,” they reportedly complained.
A residents’ initiative had called for a solidarity rally for Palestine at 11 a.m. on Tuesday expressing their opposition to the presence of Israeli tourists in Greece, “at a time when their state is committing genocide and ethnic cleansing,” as they stated.
At the same time, the Decentralized Administration Workers’ Association also had denounces the Port Authority measures and requested “that our country’s spaces and infrastructures not be granted to serve interests and needs intertwined with the state of Israel,” as well as “the cancellation of any such cooperation and the docking of the cruise ship in Syros on 22/7.”
It is noted that the cruise ship Crown had been used to transport Israelis to and from Cyprus during the Israel-Iran war because no commercial flights were taking place in Israel.
Bravo! Well done! How long Stall this murdering still keep on?
The actions of the israeli government are all the proof ever needed as to why Iran wanted a nuclear deterrent. The only thing Israelis understand is brute force and it has been the same since the State of Israel was created. When Russia invaded Ukraine sanctions swiftly followed, yet when Israel invades gaza NOTHING happens. There needs to be a complete boycott of all trade with israel and a ban on all israelis entering the EU
In the uk, people are currently in prison awaiting trial for “support of a proscribed terrorist organization” — namely, a peaceful pro-Palestine protest group. The support by European governments of the fascist government of Israel, their lack of support for the UN and basic human rights, along with their opposition to pro-Palestine protests across the EU is a red flag. The EU, UK and the USA are rapidly morphing into authoritarian regimes that are opposed to the rule of law, human rights and genuine democracy. Trump is merely the worst case, along with Hungary and Italy. Greece is up there with the Italian fascist, focusing on the putative “problem of immigration” instead of dealing with actual problems that Greeks face every day.
I am from Vancouver,Canada and i supports the Pro-Palestinian Protesters blocking the Israeli Tourist Ship
at the Port of Syros, Greece.The People of Greece don’t want to see Genocidal Israeli Tourists in their country.
Israeli Tourists shouldn’t be allowed in any country.
So wonderfully brave! Thank you, Greek people! Shame on most Greek politicians.
I applaud this peaceful protest and thanks for your report but your headline is inaccurate. The protesters did *not* block the cruise shop from docking or prevent the passengers from disembarking. The empty cordoned-off port area is visible from the photos and video. If Israeli tourists can’t deal with peaceful protest and their cruise ship captain decides from a distance to go to Cyprus rather than dock at Syros that is their problem.