Protests against the G7 summit in Geneva turned violent on Sunday, with riot police firing tear gas and water cannon at stone-throwing protesters, inundating parts of the city center and disrupting businesses and daily life.Authorities estimated that about 20,000 people took part in the march, which was organized to protest issues including climate policies, human rights concerns, imperialism, fascism and global capitalism.While the demonstration began as a large anti-G7 gathering, clashes escalated between some protesters and security forces as the crowd moved through downtown Geneva, prompting a strong police response and increased security across the city.Geneva police spokesman Alexandre Brahier told the AP that a car was set on fire, windows of a bank were broken and hundreds of masked youths in black hoodies, known as “Black Bloc” militants, mixed with peaceful marchers. He put the number of militants at around 600.Violence started in the beginning of March. Firefighters rushed to extinguish the burning Tesla next to the central bus stop. Nearby, protesters tore down wooden barriers protecting the Banque du Léman and broke its windows.
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Some protesters fired shots toward the officers. Others tore up chunks of asphalt from the road and threw them at police in riot gear. Clashes continued even after authorities ordered the crowd to disperse.Despite the violence, the majority of the 20,000 marchers were peaceful. Women’s rights advocates led the march, many wearing purple T-shirts and holding signs denouncing “patriarchy” and demanding equal pay. Others held banners supporting Palestinians in Gaza or criticizing Trump, often in profanity.
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Organizers had spent weeks negotiating with local officials before the march. They also printed a booklet for protesters, giving a map of the security perimeter, what to wear, and advice on what to do if detained.The G7 summit begins on Monday in the French resort town of Evian-les-Bains, just across Lake Geneva from the Swiss city. French authorities have deployed more than 13,000 police and gendarmes to protect the three-day meeting. More than 800 French border control officers will remain active.In Geneva, businesses put up wooden panels over their windows, fearing destruction of the same scale as had happened when a similar summit was held in 2003. Only seven of the 35 road border crossings between Switzerland and France are open.
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Francois Nieffler, spokesman for the NoG7 coalition that organized the demonstration, told the AP that the group fears Trump’s policies on tariffs, the Iran war, climate and even his past relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.A fleet of about 20 boats appeared on Lake Geneva on Saturday, displaying anti-G7 and pro-Palestine banners. Swiss media reported that about 20 protesters were detained on Friday evening.The G7 brings together Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States. The leaders of India, Kenya and Ukraine are also expected to engage in discussions on the wars in Ukraine, Iran and the Middle East, as well as global inequality and access to critical minerals. Trump’s announcement of a US-Iran peace deal just before leaving Washington could reshape the dynamics of the summit.