Violent protests broke out across Switzerland ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s Davos attendance, as demonstrators torched American flags and clashed with riot police before President Trump’s scheduled arrival for the World Economic Forum. Authorities faced unrest in multiple cities as protesters targeted both the global summit and the U.S. president. The disturbances unfolded days before Trump was set to address world leaders and corporate executives in Davos.
President Trump is expected to arrive Wednesday and deliver remarks at the annual forum, one of the world’s most influential economic gatherings. The event draws heads of state, bankers, CEOs, and policymakers to discuss trade, security, and geopolitics. Trump’s visit follows renewed friction with European leaders after he reaffirmed U.S. interest in acquiring Greenland for national security purposes and declined to rule out military options.
Roughly 300 protesters marched through Davos on Jan. 19, chanting slogans and holding banners reading “Trump not welcome.” Demonstrators accused Swiss authorities of legitimizing what they described as authoritarian and plutocratic politics. Images showed masked individuals burning American flags, while local outlets reported smashed windows and other property damage.
Swissinfo reported clashes erupted when police attempted to disperse the crowd. Officers in full riot gear used water cannons, chemical irritants, and rubber bullets, saying protesters targeted them with fireworks. A police statement said “paint bags were thrown at the facades and shop windows were smashed on the corner of Bahnhofstrasse and Uraniastrasse,” with the total damage still unknown. Two officers were struck by stones but were not injured.
Additional protests occurred in Bern and Zurich, where thousands marched with signs including one that read, “Put the Trumpster in the dumpster.” Activists also projected a cartoon image labeling Trump the “Spirit of plutocracy.”
President Trump addressed Greenland in a Tuesday post, writing, “Greenland is imperative for National and World Security,” adding, “There can be no going back.”
