Greek Protesters Block Israeli Tourists on Cruise Ship in Syros

A day after a tense standoff in the Greek island of Syros, new accounts are shedding light on the incident in which hundreds of demonstrators blocked the port and prevented thousands of Israeli passengers aboard the Crown Iris cruise ship from disembarking. The ship, operated by Mano Maritime, was en route to Cyprus when it made a planned stop on the island.

Yael Dvir, traveling with her two sons, described the moments of uncertainty:

“We arrived in Syros around noon and saw the large protest moving toward the ship’s exit. We were in a real dilemma. The Israeli passengers started singing ‘Mi SheMa’amin Lo Mefached’ (He Who Believes Is Not Afraid),” Dvir told Good Morning News. “It started as something almost humorous, but it had real potential to escalate. We saw police on site, but they didn’t do much and certainly didn’t disperse the crowd.”

Greece’s Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis labelled the protest “shameful,” urging Greece to apologize to Israeli tourists.

The protest was led by members of the activist collective We Stay Active, who voiced their opposition online, declaring:

“Residents and visitors to the island state that [Israeli Defence Forces] soldiers, settlers, and supporters of the war and the occupation of Palestine are unwanted on their island.”

In their statement, the group condemned what they described as disrespectful behavior by Israeli tourists across the country:

“We note that there have been numerous complaints from all over Greece about the provocative behaviour of Israeli tourists, who support genocide and who behave as if our places belong to them. We do not want their money! We do not tolerate their presence! Bravo to the residents of Syros!”

An update on the group’s social media account noted that a few passengers from the Crown Iris had managed to step off the ship but were quickly sent back after yelling.

Later, the group confirmed the vessel had left the island but emphasized continued vigilance: “Residents remain on alert in case it tries to return.”

Their message ended with a clear distinction: “Of course, those who oppose the war, the occupation, and the genocide are welcome.”

The protest, reportedly sparked by anti-Israel sentiment, featured chants and large Palestinian flags. Greek security forces were deployed out of concern for passenger safety, but for nearly two hours the ship remained docked with no safe passage to shore. Ultimately, the Crown Iris set sail again, this time rerouting to Limassol, Cyprus.

“We had plans for the island and didn’t want them [the protesters] to decide where we could or couldn’t go,” said Dvir. “Many families, especially those with young children, decided not to get off the ship due to fear of what might happen.”

Dvir, whose sons serve in the Israeli military, added:

“One of my boys is returning from overseas and will be heading back into service soon. This was supposed to be a vacation, and reality caught up with us.”

Cruise ship (Photo: shutterstock/GreenOak)

Diplomatic Reaction

Following the incident, Greek Ambassador to Israel Maya Solomou reportedly maintained direct contact with Mano Maritime owner and chairman, Moshe Mano. The ambassador expressed regret over the events in Syros, acknowledging the economic and reputational damage to the island. She promised to ensure that such incidents would not happen again and emphasized the importance of the long-standing tourism partnership between Greece and Mano Maritime, which brings significant tourism revenue to Greek islands.