Latest news with #MarkosBekris
Saudi Gazette
5 days ago
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Riot police block pro-Palestine protesters from approaching Israeli cruise ship in Greece
ATHENS — Riot police at Greece's largest port cordoned off an area around an Israeli cruise ship that arrived early on Thursday to prevent several hundred protesters from approaching the vessel. Protests have been held at Greek islands and mainland ports along the route of the Crown Iris, several of which have led to clashes with police. At the port of Piraeus near Athens demonstrators held flares and waved Palestinian flags behind a cordon formed with riot police buses. Protest organisers, citing online posts from travellers, said off-duty Israeli soldiers were among the passengers. "They are unwanted here and have no business being here," protest organiser Markos Bekris said. "The blood of innocent people is on their hands and we should not welcome them." Greece is a popular holiday destination for Israelis. But the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and global attention about the widespread destruction and severe food shortages have triggered hundreds of anti-Israel protests in Athens and other Greek cities, as well as a political confrontation. Left-wing opposition parties are calling on the conservative government to halt commercial and broad military cooperation with Israel. Demonstrations against Israel's military offensive in Gaza erupted in the city of Volos on Wednesday after the Crown Iris docked there. Local communities unfurled huge Palestinian flags and chanted pro-Palestine slogans as Israeli tourists disembarked from the cruise ship. Last month, the Crown Iris left the Greek island of Syros early without its passengers disembarking after more than 150 protesters demonstrated at the island's port. There have been similar protests at other stops on the Crown Iris' route such as in Rhodes and Crete. However, not all Greeks are on board with the demonstrations, including the country's Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis. "We owe an apology to these friends of Greece who chose to spend their holidays here and were forcibly denied it by some," he wrote on X last month following the incident in Syros. "Our country remains hospitable to all and antisemitism has no place here!" — Euronews
Euronews
5 days ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Greek police block protesters from approaching Israeli cruise ship
Riot police at Greece's largest port cordoned off an area around an Israeli cruise ship that arrived early on Thursday to prevent several hundred protesters from approaching the vessel. Protests have been held at Greek islands and mainland ports along the route of the Crown Iris, several of which have led to clashes with police. At the port of Piraeus near Athens demonstrators held flares and waved Palestinian flags behind a cordon formed with riot police buses. Protest organisers, citing online posts from travellers, said off-duty Israeli soldiers were among the passengers. "They are unwanted here and have no business being here," protest organiser Markos Bekris said. "The blood of innocent people is on their hands and we should not welcome them." Greece is a popular holiday destination for Israelis. But the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and global attention about the widespread destruction and severe food shortages have triggered hundreds of anti-Israel protests in Athens and other Greek cities, as well as a political confrontation. Left-wing opposition parties are calling on the conservative government to halt commercial and broad military cooperation with Israel. Demonstrations against Israel's military offensive in Gaza erupted in the city of Volos on Wednesday after the Crown Iris docked there. Local communities unfurled huge Palestinian flags and chanted pro-Palestine slogans as Israeli tourists disembarked from the cruise ship. Last month, the Crown Iris left the Greek island of Syros early without its passengers disembarking after more than 150 protesters demonstrated at the island's port. There have been similar protests at other stops on the Crown Iris' route such as in Rhodes and Crete. However, not all Greeks are on board with the demonstrations, including the country's Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis. "We owe an apology to these friends of Greece who chose to spend their holidays here and were forcibly denied it by some," he wrote on X last month following the incident in Syros. "Our country remains hospitable to all and antisemitism has no place here!"
Arab News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Riot police block protesters from approaching Israeli cruise ship in Greece
PIRAEUS: Riot police at Greece's largest port cordoned off an area around an Israeli cruise ship that arrived early Thursday to prevent several hundred protesters from approaching the vessel. Protests have been held at Greek islands and mainland ports along the route of the Crown Iris, several of which have led to clashes with police. At the port of Piraeus, near Athens, on Thursday demonstrators held flares and waved Palestinian flags behind a cordon formed with riot police buses. Protest organizers, citing online posts from travelers, said off-duty Israeli soldiers were among the passengers. 'They are unwanted here and have no business being here,' protest organizer Markos Bekris said. 'The blood of innocent people is on their hands, and we should not welcome them.' Greece is a popular holiday destination for Israelis. But the ongoing war in Gaza — and global attention on the widespread destruction and severe food shortages — has triggered hundreds of anti-Israel protests in Athens and other Greek cities, as well as a political confrontation. Left-wing opposition parties are calling on the conservative government to halt commercial and broad military cooperation with Israel.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Riot police block protesters from approaching Israeli cruise ship in Greece
Greece Israel Palestinians PIRAEUS, Greece (AP) — Riot police at Greece's largest port cordoned off an area around an Israeli cruise ship that arrived early Thursday to prevent several hundred protesters from approaching the vessel. Protests have been held at Greek islands and mainland ports along the route of the Crown Iris, several of which have led to clashes with police. At the port of Piraeus, near Athens, on Thursday demonstrators held flares and waved Palestinian flags behind a cordon formed with riot police buses. Protest organizers, citing online posts from travelers, said off-duty Israeli soldiers were among the passengers. 'They are unwanted here and have no business being here,' protest organizer Markos Bekris said. 'The blood of innocent people is on their hands, and we should not welcome them.' Greece is a popular holiday destination for Israelis. But the ongoing war in Gaza — and global attention on the widespread destruction and severe food shortages — has triggered hundreds of anti-Israel protests in Athens and other Greek cities, as well as a political confrontation. Left-wing opposition parties are calling on the conservative government to halt commercial and broad military cooperation with Israel.
San Francisco Chronicle
5 days ago
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Riot police block protesters from approaching Israeli cruise ship in Greece
PIRAEUS, Greece (AP) — Riot police at Greece's largest port cordoned off an area around an Israeli cruise ship that arrived early Thursday to prevent several hundred protesters from approaching the vessel. Protests have been held at Greek islands and mainland ports along the route of the Crown Iris, several of which have led to clashes with police. At the port of Piraeus, near Athens, on Thursday demonstrators held flares and waved Palestinian flags behind a cordon formed with riot police buses. Protest organizers, citing online posts from travelers, said off-duty Israeli soldiers were among the passengers. 'They are unwanted here and have no business being here,' protest organizer Markos Bekris said. 'The blood of innocent people is on their hands, and we should not welcome them.' Greece is a popular holiday destination for Israelis. But the ongoing war in Gaza — and global attention on the widespread destruction and severe food shortages — has triggered hundreds of anti-Israel protests in Athens and other Greek cities, as well as a political confrontation.
