The protest is being organized by a No G7 coalition of several dozen groups, the DPA reported.

The demonstration is taking place in Geneva because France declined to issue permits for any protests near the G7 summit venue, the Geneva city government said, criticizing the decision. Geneva lies around 50 kilometers south-west of Évian.

Geneva airport will also serve as the arrival point for the leaders attending the summit and their delegations on Monday, as it is the nearest airport to the venue.

Geneva's city centre has been in a state of emergency for days: Hundreds of luxury shops and banks, as well as hotels and supermarkets, have boarded up their facades and shop windows with plywood panels out of fear of unrest.

At a summit in Évian in 2003, rioters smashed windows, looted shops and caused millions in damage in Geneva.