SouthernWorldwide.com – Protests against the upcoming G7 summit in France turned violent in Geneva, Switzerland, on Sunday. Demonstrators set a Tesla vehicle ablaze and vandalized the windows of a United Nations agency as police responded with tear gas.
An estimated 20,000 people initially participated in a peaceful march. However, a segment of the crowd later targeted what they identified as symbols of capitalism and multilateralism, including the parked Tesla and the UN agency.
Witnesses reported that protesters used bricks found on the ground to hurl at police officers. The deployment of tear gas filled the streets of Geneva as the situation escalated.
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Past G7 summits have frequently seen protests, with participants using the events to voice their opposition to issues such as capitalism, globalization, climate change, and economic inequality.
In this latest demonstration, participants stated their march was a protest against the G7, which they view as a representation of concentrated political and economic power.
This incident follows recent news that Tesla owner Elon Musk became the world’s first trillionaire just last week.
Protester Pippa Saugy expressed her views to Reuters, stating, “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.”
The G7 summit is scheduled to convene from Monday to Wednesday in Évian-les-Bains, located on the shores of Lake Geneva. The summit will host leaders from France, Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States, along with representatives from the European Union.
Discussions are expected to heavily focus on the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. Leaders will likely aim to navigate potential disagreements, particularly following U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of a tentative agreement intended to conclude the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran.
In anticipation of potential violence, businesses in Geneva had boarded up their premises, and hundreds of riot police were stationed throughout the city.
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Protester Mattia Piccard told Reuters that the police presence was “an attempt to frighten demonstrators, to frighten people and discourage them from coming out to protest.”
Another demonstrator highlighted her intention to address gender inequality during the march against the G7.
Clélia Colin informed the outlet that “The values represented by the G7 are completely misogynistic, and they contribute to inequality.”
