Climate activists block cruise ship at German port

A huge cruise ship was blocked in a German port Sunday by climate change activists seeking to draw attention to the pollution caused by cruises as well as the working conditions for staff on board.

A picture taken on 9 June, 2019 shows climate activists of the "Smash Cruiseshit" group on a small boat during an operation to block the Zuiderdam cruise ship at Kiel's harbour to protest against its carbon emissions. Thomas EISENKRAETZER / dpa / AFP

Some 50 protesters from the group Smash Cruiseshit prevented Dutch liner the Zuiderdam from leaving the port of Kiel, in northern Germany.

The activists positioned rowboats in front of the ship, blocked access to the bollards to which the ship was moored and occupied a construction crane that was draped with a large banner that read "Cruises kill climate".

@CNN @cnnbrk US CRUISE SHIP HELD IN PORT BY PROTESTERS OVER CLIMATE ISSUES IN Germany. Delaying passengers from final port. I’m on board. @HALcruises #zuiderdam pic.twitter.com/4Y9NIgiW8B

  Chris Grega (@g_rega14) 9 juin 2019

The group is demanding curbs on “catastrophic” emissions from the cruise industry and improved working standards for personnel, who the group says earn around 2 euros per hour working 72 hours a week.

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Police and special forces cleared the protesters and confiscated their boats in an operation that took several hours. Some 32 people were reportedly arrested.

The Zuiderdam was able to leave port by 10pm.