Geneva police use tear gas after G7 protest turns violent
About 20,000 people marched against the G7 summit near Lake Geneva before clashes broke out, according to AFP and AP.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
Geneva police fired tear gas and used water cannon on Sunday after violence broke out during a large protest against the G7 summit opening in nearby Evian, France, AFP and AP reported. The clashes came as leaders from major democracies gathered under tight security for a meeting expected to focus on wars in Iran and Ukraine.
About 20,000 people joined the demonstration in the Swiss city, according to AFP and AP. The march was organised by the “No G7” coalition, which the agencies described as a grouping of more than 60 associations, unions and left-wing organisations opposed to fascism and imperialism.
Local authorities had approved a route away from Geneva’s luxury shopping district, AFP and AP reported. Officials sought to avoid a repeat of unrest that hit the city during the 2003 G8 summit, according to the agencies.
Most of the march proceeded peacefully in hot weather, AFP and AP reported. Demonstrators carried Palestinian flags and climate banners and chanted slogans opposing capitalism and Western military alliances, according to the agencies.
AFP and AP reported that some placards opposed the G7 and what protesters called imperialist alliances. A 69-year-old Swiss retiree named Michel, who carried a Palestinian flag, told the agencies he objected to a small group of leaders taking decisions that affect others.
Black-clad groups break from march
The situation changed when groups dressed in black separated from the main demonstration, AFP and AP reported. The agencies said some protesters smashed barriers, attacked high-end apartment buildings and set cars alight.
A Tesla was seen burning with “Eat the Rich” sprayed on its side, according to AFP and AP. Buildings near the United Nations’ European headquarters were also damaged, the agencies reported.
Geneva police said about 600 Black Bloc activists took part in the violence, according to AFP and AP. AP photos showed riot police firing tear gas and deploying water cannon during clashes with stone-throwing young people.
AFP and AP reported that the standoff continued into the evening after several incidents along the march route. One AP image caption described a bank’s windows as smashed and a car as set on fire during the unrest.
Summit opens across the lake
The G7 summit is scheduled for June 15-17 in Evian-les-Bains, a French town across Lake Geneva near the Swiss border, AFP and AP reported. French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Evian on Sunday to host US President Donald Trump and other leaders, according to the agencies.
The summit brings together Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, AFP and AP reported. The agencies said the European Union’s foreign policy chief and ministers from Brazil, the United Arab Emirates and Turkiye are also due to attend.
Thousands of Swiss and French security personnel were deployed around the lake region, AFP and AP reported. The agencies said the gathering is one of the first major international meetings since the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran in February, and that efforts to halt that conflict are expected to dominate the talks alongside Russia’s war in Ukraine.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.