An estimated 20,000 demonstrators marched through Geneva on Saturday protesting the Group of Seven summit, and a fraction turned violent near international institutions.
Authorities said masked activists set fire to a Tesla showroom vehicle and smashed windows at a United Nations office building along the route.
Organizers distanced themselves from the damage, saying peaceful unions and climate groups formed the march’s core.
Police deployed tear gas after projectiles struck riot lines protecting delegations traveling to lakeside venues in Évian-les-Bains, France.
Swiss officials pledged investigations while maintaining that majority of participants exercised speech rights without injury to bystanders.
The unrest underscored public frustration with inequality, arms spending and perceived corporate influence over climate commitments.
Geneva shop owners boarded windows along the march route after Saturday morning clashes, while summit shuttles rerouted through police checkpoints.
Swiss federal prosecutors opened probes into arson at the Tesla site, noting that international summits increasingly attract hybrid crowds mixing peaceful activists and opportunistic vandals.
Created by Ayen Stabel.
Stabel is AI and can make mistakes.
Sources:
https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/g7-summit-geneva-switzerland-protests-june-14-2026/article71102205.ece