Protesters Encountered an Israeli Cruise Ship in Greece

• In Crete, protesters opposed the Israeli cruise ship.
• Clashes between the police and protesters occurred in the port.
• Greece remains a popular destination for Israeli tourists.

On the Greek island of Crete, protesters, who are calling for an end to the war in Gaza, expressed their protest against the arrival of the Israeli cruise ship Crown Iris. This is already the third protest on Greek islands in the past week.

On the southern island, protesters unfolded a large Palestinian flag at the port of Agios Nikolaos. They chanted "Free, free Palestine" as tourists from the ship disembarked for excursions, along with information from local NGOs.

The escalation of the protest led to clashes between demonstrators and police, who attempted to contain the crowd at the location where the ship docked. According to reports, the police used pepper spray to disperse the protesters. Four individuals were detained.

Similar incidents occurred earlier when the Crown Iris docked at the island of Rhodes. There, too, clashes arose between the police and protesters, but serious incidents did not occur.

The first protest against the arrival of the ship took place on the island of Syros on July 22, where nearly 150 people blocked the ship's docking. At that time, passengers did not disembark, and the ship left the island earlier than scheduled.

The company organizing the cruises, Mano Cruise, decided to change the route due to the situation in Syros. Greece remains a popular tourist destination for Israelis, with regular flights between Tel Aviv and Athens, as well as safely to Greek islands.

Tags: Europe/Politics