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G7 protesters clash with police in Geneva

Natalie Muller with Reuters, AP, AFP and dpa
June 14, 2026

Protesters in Geneva clashed with police, set a car on fire and smashed the windows of a bank to show their opposition to the G7 summit taking place across the border in France.

https://p.dw.com/p/5FNtg
A burning car on the street in Geneva
Protesters set fire to a car and smashed shop windows ahead of the G7 summit in nearby EvianImage: dts Nachrichtenagentur GmbH/dts-Agentur/picture alliance

Clashes broke out between protesters and police near the United Nations (UN) building in Geneva on Sunday on the eve of the G7 summit in the nearby French resort town of Evian.

Demonstrators threw bottles, stones and firecrackers at police, who responded with tear gas and water cannons.

Witnesses cited by the AFP and Reuters news agencies said protesters targeted the offices of the UN's telecommunication building and threw flares as police tried to clear them from the site.

Thousands of security personnel were deployed in Geneva, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) southwest of Evian, ahead of the protest organized by an anti-G7 coalition. 

Anti-G7 protesters march with a banner in Geneva
The march was organized by a coalition of several groups decrying capitalism and globalizationImage: Michael Kappeler/dpa/picture alliance

G7 protest not allowed in France

Some 20,000 people gathered for a march that began peacefully in the early afternoon before violence broke out.

Some protesters tore down the plywood panels fitted to protect shopfronts and smashed windows, pelted projectiles at police, and set a Tesla on fire.

The demonstration was taking place in Geneva because France declined to issue permits for protests near the G7 summit venue, the Geneva city government said.

Protesters throw projectiles at police
Police fired tear gas after confrontations with protesters in some parts of the cityImage: Michael Kappeler/dpa/picture alliance

Protests are common at G7 gatherings, with demonstrators at the summits often voicing anger over capitalism, globalization, inequality and other issues.

Leaders from the Group of Seven wealthy nations, including US President Donald Trump, are set to gather in Evian on Monday for a three-day meeting.

The agenda is expected to be dominated by wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.

Edited by: Jenipher Camino Gonzalez

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