GENEVA, 14 Jun (Reuters) – Protesters set fire to a Tesla and broke windows of a bank in Geneva this Sunday, in a demonstration against the G7 summit, about to take place on the other side of the border, in France.
The march was, otherwise, largely peaceful, with the participation of around 7,000 people, according to the police, who reported having seized some knives and pyrotechnic devices.
According to protesters, the protest targets the G7 as it symbolizes the concentration of political and economic power. Last week, Tesla owner Elon Musk, who served as an advisor to US President Donald Trump, became the world’s first trillionaire, reigniting concerns about inequality.
“For me, it’s a gathering of the rich that shows once again how the rich can get richer while the poor are left behind,” said protester Pippa Saugy.
The G7 summit, which takes place from June 15th to 17th in Evian-les-Bains on the shores of Lake Geneva, will bring together the leaders of France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, in addition to the European Union.
Wars in the Middle East and Ukraine are expected to dominate the agenda, while leaders will seek to avoid a confrontation with Trump, who is trying to finalize a preliminary peace deal with Iran.
In Geneva, shops were boarded up and hundreds of riot police were deployed on the streets amid anticipated concerns about violence. Protests have been common at G7 meetings over the years, with many protesters using the summits to criticize capitalism, globalization, climate change and inequality.
