About 50 climate protesters blocked the departure of a Holland America cruise ship from the German Port Kiel on Sunday, June 9, trying to call attention to the "catastrophic local and global consequences of cruises" and the poor working conditions aboard.
The group calling itself Smash Cruiseshit used climbing equipment and small boats to delay ms Zuiderdam, which is owned and operated by the British-American cruise line. They also occupied a crane located on the harbor quay.
The police operation to clear the protesters took some hours and involved special forces. Eventually, police arrested the protesters and confiscated their boats, leaving the cruise liner free to depart at about 10 pm.
During the protest, the activists unfurled a banner which read "Cruises kill climate."