American flags burned, protesters clash with police ahead of Trump’s Davos visit

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND: Violent protests erupted in multiple Swiss cities on January 19, as demonstrators burned American flags and clashed with riot police ahead of President Donald Trump’s scheduled arrival for the World Economic Forum in Davos, according to local and international reports.

The unrest unfolded as critics voiced opposition to both the annual global summit and Trump’s recent foreign policy positions.

Protesters marched through Zurich and other cities carrying banners and chanting slogans opposing Trump’s visit, while Swiss police deployed water cannons, tear gas, and rubber bullets as tensions escalated.

Anti-Trump protests erupt ahead of Davos summit

President Donald Trump is scheduled to arrive on Wednesday, January 21, and is expected to deliver a speech at the annual gathering of global political leaders and corporate executives.

His visit comes amid heightened tensions with European leaders after Trump doubled down on his push to acquire Greenland for US national security reasons and declined to rule out military options. In eastern Switzerland, the Davos forum draws the world’s top leaders, presidents, CEOs, and prominent bankers, all converging to debate issues such as global trade, security, and geopolitics.

On January 19, about 300 protesters marched through Davos, making it clear they wanted nothing to do with the forum or with Trump’s upcoming visit.

Demonstrators held banners reading “Trump not welcome” and chanted their frustration, accusing Swiss authorities of giving the US president a platform and legitimizing what they described as authoritarian and plutocratic politics.

Images from the protests showed masked demonstrators setting fire to American flags, while local media reported smashed windows and other property damage.

Protests spread across Swiss cities

Similar demonstrations were held in several other cities, including Bern, where a protest was broken up after police sealed off the city center.

Swiss outlet Swissinfo reported that clashes erupted after police moved to disperse the crowd.

The demonstration, organized under the slogan “Trump still not welcome!”, set off from the Stadthausanlage shortly before 7 p.m. and moved through districts 1 and 4 to Helvetiaplatz, where some participants arrived around 8:30 pm.

Officers in full riot gear deployed water cannons, chemical irritants, and rubber bullets, and said they were targeted with fireworks. Two police officers were also reportedly struck by stones but were not injured.

In Zurich, thousands marched with placards reading, “Put the Trumpster in the dumpster.”

Activists from the Swiss NGO Campax also projected a cartoon image of Trump onto a ski slope near Davos, branding him the “Spirit of plutocracy.” Trump’s appearance at the forum has drawn heightened attention amid diplomatic tensions with European allies, particularly over his foreign policy remarks, including a renewed push to acquire Greenland from Denmark for “national security” reasons.