It was supposed to be a major demonstration against the G7, and for much of the afternoon it unfolded in an atmosphere described by the police themselves as "rather festive." However, tensions mounted as the day progressed. At the end of the march , there were incidents of vandalism and clashes between police and small groups of people , mostly dressed in black and with their faces covered , who threw bottles, stones, pieces of concrete, and firecrackers at the officers. The police responded with tear gas and water cannons.

Scenes that brought to mind the heavy destruction suffered by the city in 2003 during the anti-G8 protests, also in Évian. By late afternoon, several windows had been smashed, banks damaged, a car set on fire, and attempted break-ins had been reported at the offices of the consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers and the International Telecommunication Union.

According to the Geneva cantonal police , around 20,000 people took part in the demonstration, while the 'No G7' coalition estimates that tens of thousands of participants were present.

At the head of the march were associations, unions, feminist groups, pro-Palestinian movements, and radical left-wing organizations, marching under the slogan "anti-fascist, anti-imperialist, no G7." As the hours passed, incidents of vandalism began along the route: a car was set on fire, windows were damaged, and a first bank was attacked with hammers. The situation then progressively deteriorated in the late afternoon. Police reported the presence of approximately 600 members of the black bloc area, which they described as a "significant" number. According to law enforcement, two separate groups mingled with the march, one at the front and one at the back.

Tensions first escalated near the Cornavin station and then in the Grand-Pré area, where some protesters threw objects at officers. The police responded with tear gas and water cannons . The most serious incidents occurred in the area where the UN and numerous international organizations are based.

(Unioneonline)

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