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Protesters on Sunday set a Tesla vehicle on fire and smashed windows at a United Nations agency in Geneva as they marched against a Group of Seven summit set to kick off across the border in France, prompting police to fire tear gas.
Around 20,000 people gathered for a march that was initially peaceful before some protesters later damaged what they described as symbols of capitalism and multilateralism, including the parked Tesla and the UN agency.
Demonstrators grabbed bricks from the ground to throw at police, as tear gas was deployed in Geneva’s streets, witnesses told Reuters.
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There have been previous protests at G7 gatherings over the years, with many demonstrators using the summits to speak out against capitalism, globalization, climate change and inequality.
Demonstrators in the latest protest said they were marching against the G7 as a symbol of concentrated political and economic power.
This comes after Tesla owner Elon Musk became the world’s first trillionaire last week.
“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,” protestor Pippa Saugy told Reuters.
The G7 summit, scheduled to take place from Monday to Wednesday in Évian-les-Bains, on the shore of Lake Geneva, will feature the leaders of France, Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan and the U.S., as well as the European Union.
The conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine are expected to dominate the agenda. Leaders will likely attempt to avoid a clash with U.S. President Donald Trump after he announced a tentative agreement aimed at ending the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran.
Businesses in Geneva were boarded up and hundreds of riot police were deployed in the streets over concerns about violence.
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“This is an attempt to frighten demonstrators, to frighten people and discourage them from coming out to protest,” protester Mattia Piccard told Reuters.
Another demonstrator said she wanted to raise the issue of gender inequality during the march against the G7.
“The values represented by the G7 are completely misogynistic, and they contribute to inequality,” Clélia Colin told the outlet.
Reuters contributed to this report.