Police restrict Syros protest against Israeli cruise ship

The Syros Anti-War Initiative responded to the ban by saying that ‘the failure to implement international humanitarian law is illegal’, while March to Gaza Greece demanded that ‘the arrival of the Crown Iris be banned, not the protest gatherings’.

In its document, the Syros Port Authority said:

‘1. Following our meeting on 26 May 2026, which took place at City Hall on the occasion of the imminent arrival of the vessel in question at our port, we inform you that our Service has been made aware of documents and printed material (regarding b and c), which are circulating and have been posted on the internet and in the local community of Syros.

‘2. The texts in question express strong reactions and protests against the planned arrival of the Israeli-owned cruise ship Crown Iris at the port of Ermoupolis on Friday 5 June 2026.

‘3. In particular, in (c), it is stated that the ship is transporting Israeli military personnel on leave. An explicit request is made to the competent local authorities to prevent the ship from arriving on the island, while an intention is declared to participate in any planned protest events. At the same time, in (b), there is a broader call for local mobilisations, shop closures and gatherings in the port’s land area with the aim of preventing passengers from disembarking.

‘4. Following the above, our Service is forwarding both of the above documents for your immediate information and for the necessary measures to be taken within the framework of your responsibilities.

‘5. The Chamber of Cyclades and the Commercial Association, to which this letter is addressed, are requested to promptly inform their members in order to avoid tensions and ensure the smooth operation of the local market.

‘6. Our Service, within the framework of its responsibilities, is on heightened alert and in constant coordination with the police authorities to maintain public order and security in the port.’

The police statement said:

‘It is announced that, with regard to the public outdoor gatherings scheduled to take place on 5 June 2026 at 7.30am at the building of the Decentralised Administration of the Aegean and on 5 June 2026 at 2pm at Miaouli Square in Ermoupolis, Syros, by decision of the director of the Cyclades Police Directorate, from 6am to 8pm on 5 June 2026 the following restrictions will apply:

‘a) Those gathering in Miaouli Square during the time of the gathering must remain exclusively within the square.

‘b) Those gathering at Miaouli Square and at the Decentralised Administration of the Aegean must not march in the area enclosed by the streets of St Proiou, Chiou, Kea, Ladopoulou, Agios Nikolaos, Apollonos, Kalomenopoulou, Evangelistrias, Odysseus, K. Karamanlis, Georgiou Gennimata, M. Mercouri, Kotsovili, Petros Protopapadakis, Vokotopoulou, Andreas Drakakis, Antiparos, Gravia, Vikelas, Klonos, Andros, Kyparissos, Mykonos, Milos, El. Venizelou, Emmanouil Roidis, Georgiou Souris and Thymaton Sperchiou.

‘The restrictions are imposed because it is likely that the holding of the gatherings will disproportionately disrupt the socio-economic life of the specific area, taking into account the area where they will take place, the specific traffic conditions, the characteristics of the road environment and the importance of the road or roads estimated to be affected by the gatherings in general traffic, as well as the need not to obstruct traffic and access to public services, public utility organisations and healthcare institutions, the operation of infrastructure and public facilities, and the supply of the market with essential items.’

In its response to the Syros Port Authority ahead of the arrival of the Crown Iris, the Syros Anti-War Initiative said:

‘We were particularly surprised to read document no 2131.16/1429/26/2.6.2026 from the Office of the Port Master of Syros, which, among others, is communicated to the Deputy Regional Governor of the Cyclades, the Mayor of Syros-Ermoupolis, the Port Facility Security Manager, the General Regional Police Director of the Aegean, the Police Director of the Cyclades, the Commander of the Syros-Ermoupolis Police Department, the Commander of the Syros-Ermoupolis Security Department, as well as the Prosecutor of the Court of First Instance of Syros, according to which our announcement regarding the scheduled arrival of the Israeli-interest cruise ship Crown Iris on our island on Friday 5 June allegedly urges “shop closures and gatherings in the land area of the port with the aim of preventing passengers from disembarking”.

‘This is a completely inaccurate claim, which is refuted by a simple reading of the text of the announcement (attached), and therefore raises reasonable questions and concern about the purpose served by such a distortion, which borders on slander.

‘Our request to prevent the arrival of the Crown Iris is addressed to the authorities and is legal and compatible with the country’s international obligations not to assist, support or encourage ethnic cleansing, genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the torture of Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories by the Israeli Occupation Forces.

‘It is worth noting that under the 1949 Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols, which have been ratified by Greece and contain strict rules for dealing with “grave breaches”, those responsible for grave breaches must be sought, tried or extradited, regardless of their nationality. The Geneva Conventions have been ratified by all states and are universally applicable, while international humanitarian law binds both state and non-state actors.

‘Therefore, the Greek port authorities have, first, an obligation not to be complicit in genocide and, second, to seek out and hold accountable those responsible for serious violations under the Geneva Conventions, torture and other crimes under international law. The possible presence of suspects of such crimes on the ship in question should mobilise the Greek port authorities in the opposite direction from the one in which they are currently moving.

‘The rally is being announced to voice our opposition to the genocide of the Palestinian people, as well as to the bombing of schools, hospitals and other infrastructure in Iran, Syria and Lebanon and the murder of tens of thousands of people, while its leaders are being prosecuted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court.

‘Our movement is for peace and we will not accept the distortion of meanings in which Israel and its supporters specialise. If peace, the socio-economic life of the island, public order and security are at risk from anyone, it is not from the peace-loving citizens of Syros, but from the Israeli army and its supporters.

‘We call on the Greek authorities not to allow so-called “tourists” to disrupt public order on our island with any kind of insults, verbal provocations, violent attacks and/or material destruction, as has been observed in many parts of Greece; to prevent any possible attempt at provocation; to safeguard the safety of all of us who are exercising our constitutionally guaranteed right to peaceful protest; and, finally, to take legal action to ensure that they are not complicit in the genocide in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

‘On Friday 5 June, everyone at 7.30am, the time of the cruise ship’s arrival, in front of the Aegean Decentralised Administration building, and at 2pm for an anti-war rally in Miaouli Square.

‘The scheduled arrivals of the Crown Iris should be cancelled and Syros should be removed from its destinations.

‘Genocides and war criminals, as well as their supporters, are unwanted on our island.’

March to Gaza Greece said in its announcement:

‘Ban the arrival of the Crown Iris, not the protest rallies.

‘A ban on rallies/protests against the Crown Iris on Friday 5 June has just been announced by the Cyclades Police Directorate, following a call from the Port Authority. This decision raises serious questions regarding the right to free expression and the constitutional guarantee of the right to assemble.

‘The use of police measures to restrict the free movement of citizens during protests sets a worrying precedent for the future. When public space and freedom of movement are placed below the smooth functioning of commercial activities, the message sent is that democratic participation is welcome only as long as it is not “disruptive”.

‘We support the call of the Syros Anti-War Initiative and the decisions of the island’s residents.

‘The police should lift the ban.

‘The scheduled arrivals of the Crown Iris should be cancelled and Syros should be removed from its destinations.

‘Genocides and war criminals, as well as their supporters, are unwanted on our islands.’