The farmers came into sharp confrontation with the seafarers while recorded episodes with aversion to holy objects and water, with a fire in the ticket office of the shipping company and minor injuries.
The sailors said that it’s not going to break their strike while the farmers wanted to leave the ship security.
Around the time of the events at the port of Heraklion
Time 5: 30 in the afternoon: Farmers have arrived from all over Eastern Crete (Ierapetra, Sitia, Agios Nikolaos) and the hinterland of the prefecture of Heraklion (Messara) to the port of Heraklion, after yesterday’s decision taken by the steering committee.
Farmers see the gate of the port locked and the ships of the line anchored.
6: 00 in the afternoon: The peasants cut off the chains that keep the gate locked, and enter the harbor area. Report ready to reach the edge as well as the damages that they have suffered is incalculable.
Approaching the seafarers who are on board the ship Blue Orizon of the company. Go up to the bins and require their seafarers to open the hatches in order to load the 150 trucks with agricultural products.
The sailors don’t make it back, and the blood light! The farmers get angry and throw objects and flares inside the ship.
The sailors answered with a dropping water while the ship is removed from the port for safety.
Time 6: 30 in the afternoon: The moments of tension as they spend their minutes increase. The farmers require to return to “here and now” back to the ship in order to load their products and depart for Piraeus. A group of people goes to the old ticket offices of ANEK lines, which are located within the area of the port and sets it on fire. At the point of rushing fire power in a little while extinguished the flames preventing them to expand.
Hour 7 in the afternoon: From the flurry of the events, is injured slightly – bumping into a door – the master of Heraklion, Dimitris Σαϊτάκης. The men of the coast guard shall notify the EMTS that enters the area of the port, but cannot proceed to the harbor master. The farmers have set up a “roadblock” and not allow the ambulance to pass. The result is mr. Σαϊτάκης to remain in port.
Time 7: 30 in the afternoon: The intensity starts gradually to subside, however, the farmers state determined it wasn’t going to leave the port until they leave their products for Piraeus. Yes, their request is to return the Blue Orizon in order to load the trucks.
Time of 8.00 in the evening: At the port of Heraklion is the governor of Crete, Stavros Arnaoutakis, the mayor of Heraklion, Vassilis Labrinos and the mayor of Viannos, Paul ΜπαÏιτάκης which together with the harbour master, Dimitris Σαϊτάκη attempt to calm the spirits while they start lengthy procedures in order to find a solution. At the same time the farmers have surrounded and have put under status “hostage” as they say, “well, it’s not going to leave the port if it doesn’t come back to the ship to load our products”.
Time: 9.00 night: The spirits have calmed down. There is no tension in the port of Heraklion, and it seems that given solution. According to the latest information the farmers received the commitment that the trucks with their products will depart for Athens in the morning. That assurance gave the ministry of Shipping in a telephone communication he had with the harbour master, Dimitris Σαϊτάκη. The farmers a little after 9 in the evening began to depart from the port.Source
HERAKLION: Leave the farmers from the port – Received assurance that it would leave a ship [photos+video]
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