Dockworkers in Piraeus Block Ammunition Shipment to Israel Amid Gaza Protests
On Thursday, dockworkers at the port of Piraeus blocked a shipment of ammunition destined for Israel in protest against the ongoing Israeli military operations in Gaza. The Dockworkers Union of Piraeus called for members to gather at the port to demonstrate against a truck carrying approximately 20 tonnes of ammunition intended for Israeli forces. The union expressed that permitting the shipment could make workers and residents of Piraeus targets for retaliation by Israel’s adversaries.
The union urged port workers, local residents, and unions to participate in the protest, emphasizing that they would not allow the port of Piraeus to become a “base of war.” Workers set up a blockade at the container terminal, halting the truck’s movement. As of Friday, the truck and container remained under the protection of port authorities, and an arrest warrant was issued for one of the Dockworkers’ Union leaders, according to Reuters.
China Cosco’s local terminal operations arm, Piraeus Container Terminal, stated that it had to process the container in compliance with its concession contract for port operations, noting that the blockade was on a public street outside the terminal.
This protest is part of a broader movement against shipments of weaponry and ammunition bound for Israel. A notable case involves the Kathrin, an 8 000 dwt freighter believed to be carrying eight containers of RDX explosives for Israel. The Kathrin has faced refusals for docking rights in Namibia, Montenegro, and Malta after antiwar activists lobbied local port authorities, and as of Friday, it remained anchored off Malta.