Masked Protesters Throw Stones at Geneva Police, Set Tesla Ablaze Ahead of G7 Summit

Thousands of protesters gathered in Geneva ahead of the G7 summit, which is set to bring together United States President Donald Trump and other world leaders, with Swiss and French authorities deploying thousands of police as the three-day summit begins on Monday in the French resort town of Evian-les-Bains.

“Downtown Geneva boards up as drastic security tightens ahead of anti-G7 protests Shops and businesses in downtown Geneva have boarded up their storefronts ahead of planned anti-G7 protests on Sunday GENEVA -- Scores of shops and businesses in downtown Geneva boarded up their storefronts with wooden panels ahead of planned anti-G7 protests on Sunday”

ABC News

The demonstration on Sunday ended in violence after a group of participants with their faces covered began to throw stones at police, who responded with tear gas, and Reuters reported that demonstrators set fire to a Tesla car and broke the windows of the headquarters of a United Nations agency.

ABC News

Police estimates put turnout at about 20,000 people, while organizers put the figure at 60,000 demonstrators, and the march began peacefully before turning violent.

Al Jazeera reported that riot police fired tear gas and water cannons as Geneva protesters, many dressed in black and wearing masks, threw bottles, stones, pieces of cement and firecrackers at officers along the route of the march.

The BBC said tear gas and a water cannon were deployed to disperse the large crowd after protesters smashed windows and set a car on fire, as the G7 summit starts on 15 June in Évian-les-Bains.

No-G7 coalition spokesperson Françoise Nyffeler framed the protest as fear of the G7 leaders’ policies, saying, "We are very afraid of the policy and the politics of Mr. Trump and also of the other leaders of the G7, because they are fighting, making war all over the place," as thousands gathered in Geneva.

Nyffeler also told the Associated Press that "The planet is in danger and we are very scared about it and we want to protest and say that the people of the world are against their policies," linking the demonstration to opposition to Trump and the G7.

Al Jazeera

The BBC quoted a protester who said, "What needs to be understood is the message, the basic message regarding all these countries that oppress us through money and power," after clashes with police during the demonstration.

AP described a violent standoff that extended into the evening after incidents including a car set ablaze and a bank’s windows smashed, with riot police firing tear gas and water cannons in clashes with stone-throwing youths.

France 24 reported that Swiss police fired tear gas after some protesters started targeting buildings linked to the United Nations in Geneva, including a UN telecommunication building, as police tried to move them away from the UN site.

As the G7 summit approaches, authorities have blocked off roads, banned unauthorised gatherings, and pledged financial support for businesses that could be hit by unrest, while scores of businesses and shops boarded up storefronts with wooden panels.

“Protesters in Geneva clash with police ahead of the G7 summit in nearby France Protesters in Geneva clash with police ahead of the G7 summit in nearby France GENEVA (AP) — Riot police fired tear gas and water cannons in clashes with stone-throwing youths during a protest on Sunday in Geneva against the G7 group of wealthy nations, a day before its leaders including U”

AP News

AP said only seven of the 35 roadway border crossings will remain open, and it described travel restrictions and limited border crossings during the summit as Swiss and French authorities deploy thousands of police to provide security for the three-day meeting.

France 24 said the June 15–17 G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains will bring together leaders of France, Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, alongside the European Union, with wars in the Middle East and Ukraine set to dominate the agenda.

Le Monde reported that the protest started peacefully at around 3:30 pm with demonstrators waving banners reading "No to the G7 and all imperialist alliances!" and "Abort the G7," before small groups in masks threw bottles, stones, pieces of cement and firecrackers at police.

DW reported that Swiss authorities deployed thousands of security forces as protesters gathered in Geneva to demonstrate against the G7 summit in France, with some violence and property damage reported as the summit set to begin on Monday in Evian on Lake Geneva.