Thousands of people took to the streets of Geneva on Sunday, 14 June ahead of this week's G7 summit in neighbouring France, but a largely peaceful demonstration later descended into clashes with police.
Around 20,000 protesters joined the march to voice opposition to what they described as the concentration of political and economic power in the hands of a small group of wealthy nations.
As tensions rose, some demonstrators set fire to a parked Tesla vehicle and smashed windows at a United Nations agency building. Police responded by firing teargas to disperse crowds.
Reuters witnesses said protesters tore bricks from the ground and threw them at officers, while clouds of teargas drifted through Geneva's city centre. Children were seen crying as families tried to move away from the unrest.
Many of those attending said they wanted to challenge what they see as growing inequality and the influence of powerful political and business figures.
"To me, it's a meeting of the rich that shows once again how the rich can become even richer while the poor are left behind," protester Pippa Saugy said.
The demonstration took place days after Tesla owner Elon Musk, who has served as an adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, became the world's first trillionaire.
Protests have long been a feature of G7 summits, with campaigners using the gatherings to raise concerns about capitalism, globalisation, climate change and social inequality.
Authorities had prepared for possible unrest before the march.
Many businesses in central Geneva boarded up their windows, while hundreds of riot police were deployed across the city.
Some protesters criticised the security operation.
"This is an attempt to frighten demonstrators, to frighten people and discourage them from coming out to protest," said Mattia Piccard.
Others used the demonstration to highlight specific social issues.
"The values represented by the G7 are completely misogynistic, and they contribute to inequality," protester Clélia Colin said.
The unrest came on the eve of the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, a French town on the shores of Lake Geneva.
Leaders from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada and the United States will attend, alongside representatives of the European Union.
Conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine are expected to dominate discussions. Leaders are also expected to closely watch efforts by President Trump to finalise a framework peace agreement with Iran.
While the summit has yet to begin, Sunday's events in Geneva highlighted the deep frustrations felt by some protesters over the political and economic issues they believe world leaders have failed to address.
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