Ahead of the G7 summit set to begin in Évian-les-Bains, France, on Monday, numerous shop owners in neighboring Geneva have erected barricades. On the well-known Rue des Alpes, situated between Quai de la Poste and Geneva Central Station, many storefronts were already boarded up with plywood on Friday. Some signs displayed the phrase “Small Family Business” in various languages, likely in hopes of receiving leniency from potential violent protesters.
While the G7 summit is being hosted by France, the small town of Évian, with a population of around 10,000, has been divided into several protected zones and is extensively contained, with residents being issued special access passes. Consequently, it is widely expected that any demonstrations will primarily take place in the much larger city of Geneva, which is only an hour’s drive away. This mirrors what happened in 2003, when the G8 summit took place in Évian, causing significant unrest in Lausanne, on the other side of Lake Geneva, and also in Geneva.
Protests have been announced again for this year. On Sunday afternoon, a protest march is scheduled to start at 4 PM at Parc Mon Repos. The route will run along the shore of Lake Geneva, passing through locations including Quai du Mont-Blanc, Rue du Mont-Blanc, Rue de la Servette, Avenue Giuseppe-Motta, and Place des Nations. Local authorities have advised visitors to avoid the demonstration areas.
