Protesters have set fire to a Tesla and smashed the windows of a bank in Geneva as they vented their anger at the Group of Seven summit about to take place just across the border in France.
The march was otherwise largely peaceful, with up to 7000 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 adviser 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,” protester Pippa Saugy said.
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.
In Geneva, businesses were boarded up and hundreds of riot police were deployed in the streets amid concerns 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,” Colin said.
Australian Associated Press is the beating heart of Australian news. AAP is Australia’s only independent national newswire and has been delivering accurate, reliable and fast news content to the media industry, government and corporate sector for 85 years. We keep Australia informed.
