G7 summit in Evian brings massive security deployment and protest fears
Thousands of French and Swiss security forces are being deployed ahead of the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, as authorities brace for potential protests echoing 2003 violence.
Security forces in the thousands
Nearly 16,000 French police, gendarmes, soldiers, firefighters and border guards will be mobilised for the summit, according to the Haute-Savoie prefecture. The French Air and Space Force will deploy around 300 personnel to create an "air bubble" with radar, surface-to-air systems and anti-drone measures. Both French and Swiss aircraft and defence systems will be positioned on either side of the border. Prefect Emmanuelle Dubée states the operation will counter "the risk linked to the extremely tense international context", the "terror threat, which remains high in France", and the "risk of sabotage and cyber-attacks".
We are facing the risk linked to the extremely tense international context, the terror threat which remains high in France, and the risk of sabotage and cyber-attack.
Swiss army backs police at Geneva gateway
Switzerland will provide some 4,000 soldiers to support cantonal authorities in Geneva, Vaud and Valais. The army will not perform crowd control — that remains the police's role — but will handle surveillance and protection. Geneva Airport is the "gateway" to the summit and "Switzerland's calling card", ambassador Alain Gaschen told reporters. Swiss President Guy Parmelin will receive the arriving heads of state and government. Gaschen emphasised that, unlike the 2003 G8 summit, all delegations will stay in France, limiting the impact on Switzerland. However, no cost-sharing agreement has been reached with Paris despite months of talks.
Geneva Airport is the gateway and Switzerland's calling card to the G7 summit.
- French security personnel
- 16000
- Swiss military personnel
- 4000
Border restrictions and daily disruptions
From June 12 to 18, Switzerland will intensify border checks and close many of the 35 road crossings near Geneva. Seven will remain open. Traffic along Lake Geneva and around the airport will face congestion. Authorities are urging residents to limit non-essential travel, plan for delays, use telework where possible, and follow official information channels.
Protest fears overshadow the gathering
A demonstration planned for Sunday in Geneva serves as an early test for security forces. The anti-capitalist No G7 coalition has called for a "large-scale internationalist mobilisation against this meeting". Business owners have boarded up shopfronts, and the World Trade Organization is closing its offices and asking staff to work remotely. The shadow of 2003 hangs over preparations: anti-globalisation protests then turned violent in Geneva and Lausanne, causing damage estimated between 5 and 6 million Swiss francs.
As the G7 meets in Evian, France, to plan the destruction of peoples, the exploitation of life and the domination of bodies, let us organize our resistance against fascism and imperialism.
Geneva must not become the capital of rioters.
Agenda under geopolitical strain
The summit, running June 15–17, will address the Middle East, Ukraine and global economic imbalances. The presence of US President Donald Trump adds tension, with activists planning to protest his policies on tariffs, the war in Iran and climate. Geneva official Carole-Anne Kast expressed disappointment that Paris "did not take full measure of the stakes for Geneva". The G7 members include Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.
