Thousands Protest in Geneva Ahead of G7 Summit.

Thousands of protesters have gathered in Geneva ahead of this week’s Group of Seven (G7) summit, which is set to bring together U.S. President Donald Trump and other world leaders in nearby France. Swiss and French authorities have deployed thousands of police officers to provide security for the three-day summit, which begins on Monday in the French resort town of Evian-les-Bains.

Clashes broke out between protesters and police near the United Nations headquarters in Geneva on Sunday, as protesters threw bottles, stones, pieces of cement and firecrackers at police, who responded with tear gas and water cannons. Officials said environmentalists and feminists were among the protesters, who joined critics of imperialism, defenders of independent media, supporters of Palestinian rights and others in a lakeside park in Geneva for a march across the city. A violent standoff extended into the evening after a series of incidents, including a car being set ablaze and a bank’s windows being smashed, media reports said.

Authorities have blocked roads, banned unauthorized gatherings and pledged financial support for businesses that could be hit by unrest. Scores of businesses and shops have boarded up their storefronts with wooden panels as a precaution, wary of upheaval like that which left a trail of damage in Geneva during a similar summit in Evian in 2003. In France, authorities say they will deploy thousands of police and gendarmerie officers to ensure security in the summit area just across the border. More than 800 French border control officers will be active, up from about 60 normally.

The three-day summit, starting this Monday in the resort town of Evian-les-Bains, France, will see leaders discuss issues including the Middle East, Ukraine and global economic imbalances. Questions about the legitimacy of the G7 — which includes the U.S. , Canada, Japan, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom — are not new. The group of countries previously accounted for 70% of global gross domestic product (GDP), a figure that has shrunk to just 40%, while representing one-tenth of the global population. In a sign that global power dynamics are shifting dramatically, other global groups are also growing. The BRICS countries, which include India, Russia and China, have doubled the bloc’s number of members from five to 11. While G7 summits regularly draw protests, this year’s event also comes amid global frustration with Trump’s leadership on issues as diverse as tariffs, the U.S. -Israeli war on Iran and the climate crisis.