Downtown Geneva boards up as drastic security tightens ahead of anti-G7 protests

Geneva’s downtown shops and businesses boarded up their storefronts with wooden panels ahead of planned anti-G7 protests on June 14, 2026. French and Swiss authorities imposed extensive security measures as U.S. President Donald Trump and other G7 leaders prepared to attend the summit in the French town of Evian-les-Bains from June 15–17, 2026. The summit will address the West Asia conflict, Ukraine, and global economic imbalances, but activist groups—including environmentalists, feminists, and anti-capitalists—have called for demonstrations, raising fears of violent unrest. On June 13, 2026, around 20 boats appeared on Lake Geneva near Evian, displaying anti-G7 and pro-Palestinian banners, while 20 protesters were detained earlier that evening. Earlier, 100–150 people gathered in Geneva for a protest bicycle ride, chanting anti-G7 and pro-Palestinian slogans and disrupting traffic. Switzerland’s government announced the deployment of 4,000 army personnel to support police, including airspace and road restrictions, patrols on Lake Geneva, and the closure of seven of 35 border crossings. A major park in Geneva was also shut to prevent activist gatherings. France, meanwhile, will deploy over 13,000 police and gendarmerie officers, with 800 border control officers active—up from the usual 60—along with drone-interception measures. Local residents and business owners expressed concern over a repeat of the 2003 G8 summit protests, which resulted in widespread property damage. Activists, including the NoG7 coalition, condemned Trump’s leadership on tariffs, the Iran war, and climate policy, as well as his past ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Protesters warned that global policies under G7 leaders threaten planetary stability, with plans for a large demonstration on June 14, 2026.