Swiss police on Sunday fired tear gas at demonstrators protesting the upcoming Group of Seven summit in France after some protesters started targeting buildings linked to the United Nations in Geneva.
Swiss police fired tear gas as protesters opposed to a G7 summit across the border in France targeted United Nations buildings in Geneva, a Reuters witness said.
Some demonstrators threw stones at a UN telecommunication building and also threw flares as police tried to move them away from the UN site. There were also reports of windows of a bank having been smashed, and a Tesla being set ablaze.
The march was otherwise largely peaceful, with up to 7,000 people attending, according to police, who said they confiscated some knives and pyrotechnic devices.
Demonstrators said they came to protest against the G7 as a symbol of concentrated political and economic power. Last week Tesla owner Elon Musk, who has worked as an advisor to US President Donald Trump, became the world’s first trillionaire, reigniting concerns about inequality.
“To me, it’s a meeting of the rich that shows once again how the rich can become even richer while the poor are left behind,” said protestor Pippa Saugy.
The June 15–17 G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, on the shore of Lake Geneva, will bring together the leaders of France, Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, alongside the European Union.
Wars in the Middle East and Ukraine are set to dominate the agenda, while leaders will seek to avoid a clash with Trump as he seeks to finalise a framework peace deal with Iran.
Read moreMacron to meet Trump at the Palace of Versailles after G7 summit in France
In Geneva, businesses were boarded up and hundreds of riot police were deployed in the streets amid prior concerns the about violence. Protests have been common at G7 gatherings over the years, with many demonstrators using the summits to decry capitalism, globalisation, climate change and inequality.
Mattia Piccard, bristled at the strong police presence.
“This is an attempt to frighten demonstrators, to frighten people and discourage them from coming out to protest,” Piccard said.
Clélia Colin, another demonstrator, said she wanted to raise the issue of gender inequality.
“The values represented by the G7 are completely misogynistic, and they contribute to inequality because there is absolutely no equality,” said Colin.
(FRANCE 24 with Reuters)
