About 20 people gathered outside Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry in Vilnius on Friday to protest against the blockade of humanitarian aid bound for the Gaza Strip.
The demonstration, organised by Poppies Palestine Action Vilnius, urged the authorities to ensure the safety of the Global Sumud humanitarian flotilla and a Lithuanian citizen taking part in it.
Protesters waved large Palestinian flags and held placards reading “Gaza will haunt us forever”, “We do not want to be accomplices”, and “Israel has no right to genocide”.
They called on the Foreign Ministry and other state institutions to act to protect the flotilla’s crews and vessels.
“I came to protest against Lithuania’s neutrality. A Lithuanian is sailing to Gaza to break the illegal blockade imposed by Israel. People are starving, people are being slaughtered […] It is horrible and I cannot stay silent,” said Ignas, a 20-year-old sociology student. He added that the ministry should take a clear stance on the issue.
Jokūbas, a 23-year-old student at Vilnius University, told BNS that the government must defend both Lithuanian and EU citizens travelling with the flotilla who have already come under Israeli attack.
“This attack by Israel not only violates international law but is also an assault on Lithuanian and EU citizens. I came to add my voice and urge Lithuania’s leaders to take measures, to put pressure on Israel to respect international law and not to attack our citizens,” he said.
The flotilla is made up of more than 50 vessels from over 40 countries, carrying some 500 volunteers – including doctors, activists, sailors, artists, politicians and actors – alongside hundreds of tonnes of food and medical supplies for Gaza.
On Wednesday, Lithuanian NGO Sienos Grupė expressed solidarity with the Freedom Flotilla in a Facebook post that featured a photo of graffiti daubed on Vilnius’s Three Crosses memorial reading: “Lithuania, why do you support genocide?” and “Civilians >80,000 victims in Gaza”.
Vilnius City Municipality told BNS the graffiti was removed on Monday.
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