Swiss police fired tear gas and water cannons at anti-G7 protesters in Geneva on June 14, after a contingent of demonstrators smashed windows at United Nations buildings and corporate offices, set a vehicle on fire, and threw stones, bottles, and firecrackers at officers [2][4][6]. The march, organized by the No-G7 coalition on the eve of the G7 summit in Évian, France, drew an estimated 20,000 participants according to Geneva police spokesperson Alexandre Brahier, while organizers put the figure as high as 60,000 [5][8]. The protest took place in Geneva because France declined to issue permits for demonstrations near the summit venue [4][8].
The demonstration began as a broad, largely peaceful procession. Participants included environmentalists, feminists, anti-imperialists, trade unionists, and Palestine solidarity groups [5][18]. RFI described the atmosphere as initially carnival-like before it shifted to confrontation [22]. Multiple outlets reported that around 600 "Black Bloc" radical protesters were involved in the clashes that followed [7][22]. Le Dauphiné Libéré had reported ahead of the march that roughly 25,000 participants were expected [11].
Protesters voiced a range of grievances centered on the argument that the G7 concentrates wealth and political power while excluding the populations most affected by its decisions. Pippa Saugy, a protester quoted by France 24, stated: "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" [6]. An unnamed protester told the BBC: "What needs to be understood is the message, the basic message regarding all these countries that oppress us through money and power" [2]. Michel, a 69-year-old Swiss retiree, told Japan Today: "I'm here because I'm not happy that this group of heads of state is meeting here to make decisions that affect all of us" [7]. Clélia Colin, another protester, stated that "the values represented by the G7 are completely misogynistic, and they contribute to inequality because there is absolutely no equality" [6]. France 24 noted that Elon Musk becoming the world's first trillionaire had reignited concerns about inequality among demonstrators [6].
A separate thread within the protests focused on G7 member states' role in armed conflicts. A No-G7 spokesperson told Tagesschau: "Wir haben große Angst vor der Politik und den politischen Maßnahmen von Herrn Trump und auch den anderen Staats- und Regierungschefs der G7, weil sie kämpfen, überall Kriege führen" (We are very afraid of the politics and political measures of Mr. Trump and also the other G7 heads of state because they fight and wage wars everywhere) [8]. Student Chirstophe Kobaich told El País that G7 countries bear responsibility for abuses and genocides: "De una manera u otra, participan" (In one way or another, they participate) [5]. Student Nelia De-dea, also quoted by El País, stated: "No hacer nada es una hipocresía insoportable. Por eso estoy aquí. Hay demasiada gente que cierra los ojos" (Doing nothing is unbearable hypocrisy. That's why I'm here. Too many people close their eyes) [5]. Al Jazeera characterized the summit as the first major international gathering since what it described as the United States and Israel launching a war against Iran in late February [1].
The Turkish independent outlet Bianet reported on a feminist strike organized as part of the No-G7 mobilization, highlighting critiques of the G7's declining share of the global economy and its role in climate injustice [14]. Audrey Petoud, a representative of the UNIA trade union, told El País: "Yo estoy inquieta por el fascismo que avanza. Me da miedo" (I am uneasy about the advance of fascism. It scares me) [5].
The question of whether the police response was proportionate drew competing framings. Protester Mattia Piccard told France 24 that the heavy security presence was "an attempt to frighten demonstrators, to frighten people and discourage them from coming out to protest" [6]. Switzerland mobilized up to 4,000 troops, and France deployed nearly 16,000 security personnel for the summit [7]. Multiple outlets across regions — including BBC, DW, France 24, CGTN, YTN, Il Sole 24 Ore, Izvestia, Euronews Arabic, and Swissinfo — reported that police used tear gas and water cannons only after demonstrators threw projectiles, set vehicles on fire, and damaged property including windows at a UN agency and a PwC building [2][3][4][15][17][19][20][21][22][23].
Beyond the streets, the summit's composition itself became a point of contention. South Africa was disinvited from the G7 summit reportedly under U.S. pressure, according to France 24 [9]. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa downplayed the exclusion, stating it was not surprising since South Africa is not a G7 member, according to the BBC [10]. South African Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya linked the disinvitation to a broader pattern, noting South Africa was also excluded from the previous G20 summit under the U.S. presidency [9].
Indian Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar used the G7 platform to call for UN Security Council reform and to raise Global South concerns about energy, food, and fertilizer security [13][16]. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arrived at the summit with a reported focus on coordinating Western responses to the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, emphasizing allied solidarity and a coherent European position [12].
Parallel demonstrations took place in Calgary, Canada, where hundreds protested war, environmental issues, and remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Canadian sovereignty [3]. Swissinfo reported that hundreds of protesters were detained in Geneva following a night of unrest [23]. The G7 summit in Évian was set to begin on June 15 [4][12].