How can governments balance safety and the right to protest at the G7?

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Reporter specialised in Swiss foreign affairs, with a side hustle as a sub-editor in the English Department. Previously my focus was on disinformation and fact-checks, which I still produce occasionally.

Français

Comment les gouvernements peuvent-ils concilier sécurité et droit de manifester lors du G7?
Italiano

Come possono i Governi trovare un equilibrio tra la sicurezza e il diritto di manifestare in occasione del G7?
Español

¿Cómo pueden los gobiernos conciliar la seguridad y el derecho a manifestarse en la cumbre del G7?
Português

Como os governos podem equilibrar segurança e direito de protesto durante o G7?
日本語

【G7サミット】安全確保と抗議活動の権利、どう両立？
العربية

كيف يمكن للحكومات تحقيق التوازن بين الأمن وحق التظاهر خلال قمة مجموعة السبع؟
中文

七国集团峰会期间，如何在保障安全的同时维护公众的抗议权利？

The G7 Summit, which France is hosting June 15-17 in Evian on Lake Geneva, is triggering a major security operation in neighbouring Switzerland. Despite not being part of the G7, it will deploy its army and regional police forces to ensure security for heads of state who will land in Geneva before heading across the border. Switzerland wants France to cover some of these costs.

Businesses in Geneva, meanwhile, fear a repeat of the damage they suffered during violent protests when the summit (then the G8) took place in Evian in 2003.

Who should pay for the G7 security costs in Switzerland? Should authorities close the border with France and ban protests against the summit?

Let us know your thoughts by joining the debate below.

The Grand Council wants to ban all demonstrations in Geneva

Foreign Affairs

Geneva’s parliament wants to ban protests during the G7 summit

This content was published on Mar 21, 2026 Geneva’s cantonal parliament wants to ban all demonstrations in connection with the G7 Summit to be held in Evian-les-Bains (France) from June 15-17.

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stake-cakes.78@icloud.com 2026-06-15 06:19

Boarded-up storefronts, barricades, and employees working remotely… Apparently, local residents and businesses are not entirely convinced that this is a festive occasion and are sensibly preparing for potential unrest.____Which brings us to the million-dollar question: why are the authorities of a country that isn’t even part of the G7 willing to tolerate protests that effectively shut down an entire city for days, while the taxpayers of the canton get the privilege of paying for the security bill

Geraldine Wong SWI SWISSINFO.CH 2026-06-15 12:28

@stake-cakes.78@icloud.com

Thanks for leaving a comment here. The French would probably argue there are benefits for Switzerland: namely, that its President, Guy Parmelin, is getting to meet world leaders as they land at Geneva Airport and sneaking in a few minutes of bilateral talks with them before they carry on to Evian. That's precisely what Parmelin is doing all day today. Stay tuned to see if he gets to exchange a few choice words with the most important leader of all -- Donald Trump -- when he lands in Geneva at 17:00 local time.

Lamac 2026-06-13 04:24

The following contribution has been automatically translated from FR.

What are we paying for? Security, or the aggressive and freedom-destroying measures that have been put in place? Our freedom of movement is being restricted, our freedom of assembly is being restricted; we are subject to checks, searches and suspicion. Children no longer go on school trips, the parks are closed, the army is stationed outside schools (Marais district). Are we at war? By what right do they allow themselves to treat us like this? I am not afraid of a protest, but of our leaders who have lost their minds. Have they even calculated the cost of the hours wasted in meetings, emails, orders and counter-orders relating to this so-called security measures? Let us live and work normally; stop attacking us and spreading fear and mistrust. It will certainly cost less.

Que payons-nous? La sécurité ou le dispositif agressif et liberticide mis en place? Notre liberté de circulation est entravée, notre liberté de réunion est entravée, nous sommes l’objet de contrôle, de fouilles, et de méfiance. Les enfants ne vont plus en course d’école, les parcs sont fermés, l’armée s’installe devant les écoles (cycle du Marais). Est-on en guerre? De quel droit se permet-on de nous agresser ainsi? Je n’ai pas peur d’une manifestation mais de nos dirigeants qui ont perdu la tête. Ont-ils seulement calculé le coût des heures perdues en seances, mails, ordres et contre-ordres relative au dispositif soit disant sécuritaire? Laissez nous vivre et travailler normalement, arrêtez de nous agresser et de distiller la peur et la méfiance. Ça coûtera moins cher c’est certain.

Smiss 2026-06-12 08:59

Even more disgusting than footing the bill for G7, we are now footing the bill for the security of Trump Jr while he conducts private business in Zurich. Fedpol refuses to disclose the amount it has cost taxpayers nor does it give any reasonable explanations for doing so. Swiss families have a hard time affording food and violent crime continues to rise...but we can afford to be a private security firm for a convicted fraudster

Geraldine Wong SWI SWISSINFO.CH 2026-06-15 12:33

@Smiss

Thanks for pointing out this story, which may have been overlooked as people agonised over the No to ten million vote this weekend. For this who missed it, here's a link to our news story on Don Trump Jr's visit to Zurich costing the taxpayers an undisclosed amount: https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/various/the-federal-government-is-covering-the-security-costs-for-trump-jr-s-visit-to-zurich/91575256

Rubin 2026-06-08 09:38

Cannot France defend Evian themselves

Geraldine Wong SWI SWISSINFO.CH 2026-06-08 12:28

@Rubin

Media here are reporting that security for the G7 will cost the cantons around CHF24-25 million. There are also reports that France opted to host the G7 in Evian without consulting the Swiss authorities.

Smiss 2026-06-04 10:10

Authorities should direct all protesters to the site of the G7 and let the G7 countries foot the bill. They are the top wealthiest 7 nations, right? Surely they can afford their own security for the problems they are causing. Might even be fitting to let the protesters have these heads of states that are responsible for so much misery in the world.

Geraldine Wong SWI SWISSINFO.CH 2026-06-08 12:22

@Smiss

Thanks for your comment, Smiss. Protesters will have to make do with a "protest village" the French regional authorities have finally authorised to be set up in Annemasse, which is 45 km away from Evian! Or join the authorised protest march in Geneva on June 14. Either way, it's highly unlikely they will come face-to-face with G7 leaders ...

How can governments balance safety and the right to protest at the G7?

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Geneva’s parliament wants to ban protests during the G7 summit

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