Greek Piraeus Port Dockworkers Block 21 Tons of Ammunition Cargo to Israel
ACTIVISM, 21 Oct 2024
Posted by Antonio C. S. Rosa | Editor - TRANSCEND Media Service
18 Oct 2024 – Dozens of Greek dockworkers blocked the loading of ammunition destined for Israel in protest against the Gaza genocide, coast guard and union officials said today.
A container which arrived at the port of Pireaus on Thursday held 21 tons of ammunition. The cargo was trucked from North Macedonia and was due to be loaded onto a Marshall islands-flagged ship bound for Israel.
Pictures on Facebook showed people carrying flares and slogans sprayed on a truck that read: “Murderers, get out of the port”.
The dockers are led by their trade union, the Container Handling Workers’ Union at the Piers of Piraeus (ENEDEP). The Labour Centre of Piraeus, the Union of Metal Workers of Attica and the Shipbuilding and Repair Industry of Greece, the Shipwrights’ Union and a representative of the Union of Palestinian Workers took part in the action.
COSCO, the global shipping corporation owned by the Chinese state, owns and operates the port of Piraeus. Since the 2016 acquisition, port workers have been in struggle against COSCO and the Greek government for better wages, against speedup and unsafe working conditions, and against layoffs. The Communist Party of Greece is active in the leadership of port trade unions.
Before the Thursday incident, the dockworkers’ union had called on workers to take action against the shipment of arms to be used in the Gaza genocide.
Port authorities launched an investigation into the incident. An arrest warrant has been issued for a union leader.
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Tags: Activism, Arms Industry, Arms Trade, Blockade, European Union, Genocide, Greece, Israel, Palestine
This article originally appeared on Transcend Media Service (TMS) on 21 Oct 2024.
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