Riot police fired tear gas and water cannons at stone-throwing protesters in Geneva on Sunday as demonstrations against the G7 summit turned violent, leaving parts of the city centre boarded up and disrupting businesses and daily life.
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Authorities estimated that around 20,000 people took part in the march, which was organised to protest issues including climate policies, human rights concerns, imperialism, fascism and global capitalism.
While the demonstration began as a large anti-G7 mobilisation, clashes between some protesters and security forces escalated as crowds moved through downtown Geneva, prompting a strong police response and heightened security across the city.
A car was set on fire, a bank's windows were smashed and hundreds of masked youths in black hoodies, known as "Black Bloc" militants, mixed with peaceful marchers, according to Geneva police spokesman Alexandre Brahier reported to AP. He put the number of militants at around 600.
The violence began early in the march. Firefighters rushed to put out a burning Tesla next to a central bus stop. Nearby, demonstrators tore down wooden barriers protecting a Banque du Leman and shattered its windows.
Some protesters fired flares toward officers. Others ripped chunks of asphalt from the road and hurled them at police in riot gear. The clashes continued even after authorities ordered the crowd to disperse.
Despite the violence, the vast majority of the 20,000 marchers were peaceful. Women's rights advocates led the procession, many wearing purple T-shirts and carrying signs denouncing the "patriarchy" and demanding equal pay. Others held banners supporting Palestinians in Gaza or criticizing Trump, often in profane terms.
Organisers had spent weeks negotiating with local authorities before the march. They even printed a handbook for demonstrators, complete with a map of the security perimeter, tips on what to wear, and advice on what to do if detained.
The G7 summit begins 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 secure the three-day meeting. Over 800 French border control officers will be active.
In Geneva, businesses boarded up their windows with wooden panels, fearing a similar scale of destruction as what had ensued when a similar summit was held in 2003. Only seven of the 35 roadway border crossings between Switzerland and France remain open.
Francoise Nyffeler, spokesperson for the NoG7 coalition that organised the demonstration, told AP the group is afraid of Trump's policies on tariffs, the Iran war, climate and even his past ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
A flotilla of about 20 boats appeared on Lake Geneva on Saturday, displaying anti-G7 and pro-Palestinian banners. Swiss media reported that around 20 protesters were detained Friday evening.
The G7 brings together Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States. Leaders of India, Kenya and Ukraine are also expected to join 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 summit's dynamics.
