French police used tear gas and water cannons on Wednesday as thousands of activists descended on Biarritz ahead of the annual G7 summit. The demonstrations, organised by a coalition of environmental and anti-capitalist groups, turned violent in the early afternoon when a contingent of black-clad protesters broke away from the main march and began throwing projectiles at officers.
Local authorities estimated the crowd at 9,000, though organisers put the figure closer to 20,000. The protest was the largest of several planned events during the summit, which gathers leaders from the United States, Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Japan and Canada. Security has been tight since the arrival of heads of state, with a 9,000-strong police force deployed across the Basque coastal town.
Witnesses reported skirmishes near the main square, where activists attempted to breach a metal barrier erected by security forces. Police responded with repeated volleys of tear gas, sending demonstrators coughing and retreating down narrow side streets. A number of arrests were made, though the interior ministry has not yet released precise figures. The Red Cross said it treated 12 people for minor injuries, mainly from rubber bullets and falls.
The unrest underscores the deep divisions over global governance that have shadowed the G7 in recent years. Organisers of the protest, known as the "Alternative Summit", accused the G7 of fostering inequality and ignoring climate change. A statement from the collective said: "While world leaders dine on fine wine, the planet burns. We are here to demand real action, not empty promises."
This confrontation marks the latest in a series of clashes at international summits, from Seattle in 1999 to Hamburg in 2017. Analysts suggest the persistence of such protests reflects a broader erosion of trust in multilateral institutions. "The G7 is seen as an exclusive club that makes decisions behind closed doors," said Dr Marie Lefevre of Sciences Po, an expert in social movements. "The protests are a symptom of a deeper crisis of legitimacy."
The summit programme continues with working sessions on trade, climate and migration. Police said they remain on high alert, with additional protests expected throughout the week. For now, the streets around the convention centre remain largely empty, save for the buzzing of drones overhead and the distant sound of chanting.
Our correspondent on the ground reports a tense atmosphere as the day wore on. Despite the clashes, many activists gathered peacefully in authorised areas, waving placards that read "Another World Is Possible" and "Tax the Rich". Whether their voices will be heard within the summit walls remains an open question.
