On their meeting on Wednesday, representatives of citizen groups and labour unions on Crete have decided upon picketing the NATO naval base in Souda Bay, by land and sea between July 19 and 21, in protest against the plans to destroy Syria’s chemical weapons in the sea south of the island. The protesters have as well called on fishermen and anyone else with a boat to side along. Cretans are also to be expected in Athens for a protest on Friday.

The destruction of some 600 tons of highly toxic substances, including mustard gas and DF, the precursor to sarin gas, has already began on board of the Cape Ray container ship that sails into international waters at the Mediterranean sea, however its precise course is not known. The ship has been fitted out with mobile hydrolysis systems to neutralise the chemical substances. The process, under watch of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), is expected to take about 60 days. Protesters said they would try to approach the Cape Ray by boat when it arrives in the area.