Overview
- Thousands of protesters converged in Geneva on Sunday for a No‑G7 march organized by more than 60 groups that included environmentalists, feminists, pro‑Palestinian activists and anti‑capitalist factions.
- Parts of the demonstration turned violent with a Tesla set on fire and bank windows smashed, and police detained people while using tear gas, water cannon and making multiple arrests.
- Swiss and French authorities imposed a tight lockdown that closed many border crossings and mobilized roughly 4,000 Swiss troops plus more than 13,000 French police and gendarmes to secure the Evian summit zone.
- Businesses in downtown Geneva boarded up storefronts, ferry and road traffic was restricted and police said some 600 masked 'Black Bloc' militants were mixed in with peaceful marchers.
- The disruptions come as G7 leaders open talks in Evian focused on the Iran deal and regional security, energy routes such as the Strait of Hormuz, Ukraine and global economic imbalances, and the protests recall violent scenes from a 2003 summit that shaped current precautions.