A protest against the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Geneva, Switzerland, which began peacefully, escalated into violence when some demonstrators set fire to a Tesla vehicle, vandalized United Nations offices, and clashed with police who used tear gas to control the situation.
The incident occurred during a march by the 'No-G7' alliance, a coalition of organizations and activist groups numbering about 20,000 people, demonstrating against the upcoming G7 leaders' summit scheduled for 15–17 June in Avignon-les-Bains, France, near Lake Geneva.
At the start, the protest atmosphere was peaceful and festive, with people gathering in a lakeside park, singing, dancing to music, and holding signs opposing imperialism, such as "G7 = Exploitation." Participants ranged from young people to retirees seeking to raise their voices for social justice.
Tensions rose as the march passed through the city center when about 600 radical protesters calling themselves the 'Black Bloc,' dressed in black and wearing face masks, infiltrated the crowd and began attacking symbols of capitalism and multilateral organizations.
The radical protesters rioted at multiple points along the route, setting a parked Tesla car on fire, which was severely damaged. The protesters said this act was a statement against Elon Musk, Tesla's owner and the world's first trillionaire who also advises U.S. President Donald Trump, reflecting the concentration of economic power that enriches the wealthy while leaving the poor behind.
Additionally, protesters vandalized the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a United Nations agency, smashing the glass doors. They also damaged and spray-painted graffiti on glass panels surrounding a memorial for officials of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) who died in the line of duty.
The offices of PwC, formerly PricewaterhouseCoopers, were heavily attacked by protesters attempting to break windows, damage metal shutters, and destroy CCTV cameras with traffic barriers.
Protesters also pulled bricks from the street to throw at authorities, set off flares, and burned trash bins to block roads, causing many shops along the route to board up their windows to prevent damage.
Swiss riot police, supported by regional forces, intervened immediately, firing multiple rounds of tear gas, forcing protesters and nearby children to scatter and seek refuge in private gardens and alleyways to wash their eyes.
After a prolonged confrontation, police managed to herd protesters back into the initial park and gradually released them individually in the evening. Geneva police reported several arrests had been made and fortunately no injuries were reported. Property damage was limited compared to the number of infiltrators.
Protest leader Clélia Colin said she wanted the world to recognize gender inequality issues, criticizing the G7's values as misogynistic and exacerbating disparities. The No-G7 alliance declared after the protest that "the spirit of human rights and freedom in Geneva remains with us, and we have sent a message of hope and unity to people worldwide."
The upcoming G7 summit in France is expected to focus on the Middle East conflicts and the war in Ukraine, as well as avoiding conflict with U.S. President Donald Trump, who is seeking a peace agreement framework with Iran.