“We are in contact with the local authorities, and as a result, there is a slight delay in the disembarkation of passengers,” Mano Maritime stated.

By JNS staff

Vacationers on a cruise ship carrying hundreds of Israelis were prevented from disembarking at the Greek island of Syros on Tuesday due to pro-Palestinian protests in the port, a passenger confirmed to JNS.

“We’re on the Mano Maritime cruise ship MS Crown Iris. It’s a Panama-flagged ship, but it’s obviously an Israeli company,” said Adam Mallerman, a JNS social media manager, noting that it exclusively sails out of Israel.

“I think we got in around 12:30 p.m., and we’re only here until 6 p.m.,” said Mallerman. “The first people who got off the boat apparently had water thrown at them, although I haven’t had any confirmation of that.”

“We are 78 miles off the coast of Athens,” he continued. “Now, we have been told we can’t leave the ship, and we’ve only got like four hours left.”

Israel’s Channel 12 News cited Mano Maritime as announcing that “as has been the case in several places in Europe, a protest by dozens of pro-Palestinians is taking place in Syros today.”

“We are in contact with the local authorities, and as a result, there is a slight delay in the disembarkation of passengers,” the company stated.

“There are no armed police on the ship—only Israeli security personnel, as is customary on our ship at all times,” Mano Maritime continued. “It is estimated that the demonstration will disperse within half an hour.”

Anti-Israel protests at the Greek island of Syros, July 22, 2025. Video by Adam Mallerman.

Greek media reported that a large crowd of Syros residents attended the protest against “genocide” in the war on Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip. Prior to the vessel’s arrival, a union of local port workers had reportedly attempted to have its arrival at the island canceled.

“We were really surprised, no one expected to see this. When we started to get closer, we saw the demonstration and the Greek police are currently accompanying us,” one passenger told Channel 12.

“Hundreds of people were waiting for us, we were very surprised. We are with children and it is really unpleasant, they are afraid, scared and ask a lot of questions,” the vacationer continued. “Security personnel are walking around on board and we are waiting for instructions.”

Last week, anti-Israel protesters and port workers at Greece’s Port of Piraeus in Greece blocked the unloading of the cargo ship Ever Golden, which was reportedly carrying steel designated for military use in Israel.

The protest was organized by the Container Handling Workers Union (ENEDEP), with the backing of anarchist groups and members of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), according to local media reports.

Similar protests and port blockades took place in Greece in June 2025 and in October 2024, also aimed at preventing the unloading of munitions reportedly bound for the Jewish state’s military.