Pedestrians walk past the boarded-up windows of a shop in Geneva, Switzerland on Jun 9, 2026, ahead of expected protests for the G7 summit. (Photo: AP/Baz Ratner)
14 Jun 2026 09:33AM
GENEVA: Thousands of anti-Group of Seven protesters were expected to rally in Geneva on Sunday (Jun 14) under a heavy police presence ahead of the summit in Evian, just across the border with France.The "No-G7" coalition of more than 60 associations, unions and left-wing groups aims to denounce "fascism and imperialism". The demonstration takes place the day before G7 leaders start their three-day annual gathering.Geneva - about 40km southwest of the French spa town of Evian - is on edge. The authorities there are anxious to avoid any repeat of the mayhem of 2003, when anti-G7 rioters caused millions of dollars worth of damage in the Swiss city.The violence, looting and clashes live long in the memory, and shops, supermarkets, theatres and university buildings, some of them far from the protest route, are taking no chances and have boarded up their facades.
Several other events in the city have been scrapped, and the main hospital has set up tents in case there is an influx of casualties.The Swiss authorities have permitted a march around a lengthy loop on the north side of the city - well away from the city centre and its luxury boutiques.They are deploying a significant number of police and security equipment.
