Spanish pro-Palestinian activists have launched a sit-in in an embassy in Athens to protest against Greece's decision to stop flotillas sailing from their ports to Gaza.

A group of 21 activists have refused to leave the Spanish embassy, although not all are currently inside the building.

They said they would continue to occupy the site until the Spanish government pressured its Greek counterpart into allowing the "Guernica" ship to attempt to breach the naval blockade of Gaza.

The ship is currently docked in Crete.

A French group claimed earlier today that they had managed to evade the Greek ban and set sail on the "Dignite-Al Karama". However there were also unconfirmed reports that the ship had turned back.