Switzerland: Clashes in Geneva as 20,000 protest G7 summit and global policies

Groups of masked protesters confronted police during the afternoon, throwing bottles, stones, fireworks and other projectiles. Officers responded with tear gas and water cannon as tensions escalated. A vehicle caught fire close to the protest route, several buildings were reportedly damaged and authorities ordered demonstrators to disperse as unrest spread through parts of the city.

The violence followed a march that had begun peacefully under intense summer heat. Organisers brought together environmental campaigners, feminist groups, supporters of Palestinian rights and anti-globalisation activists to protest against G7 policies and call for social and environmental reforms.

According to Geneva police, around 20,000 people took part in the rally, making it one of the largest demonstrations seen in Switzerland in recent years. Marchers gathered near several international institutions, including the United Nations headquarters, carrying banners critical of world leaders and demanding political change.

The disturbances came as Swiss and French authorities deployed thousands of security personnel ahead of the three-day G7 summit, which opens in Évian on 15 June. Leaders are expected to discuss a range of issues, including the war in Ukraine, tensions in the Middle East and broader global economic challenges.