Watches and jewels in Geneva under palisades
At the approach of the G8 summit, held in nearby French spa-resort town Evian, many banks and boutiques in downtown Geneva had barricaded under wooden planks. Sporadic violence broke out during the week-end nights, alongside mostly peaceful demonstrators who marched through Geneva and France to protest against the politics of the G8 leaders.

The haunting question at the dawn of the week-end was whether so much ado and barricades was not just plain paranoia, ignoring the crucial world issues at stake. However, as late on Saturday about 100 masked rioters rampaged through Geneva, breaking windows, looting and throwing Molotov cocktails at buildings in no more than half an hour, most boutique owners were relieved at being protected by wooden palisades.

Express yourself on Swiss banks' palisades.

There must be a watch shop underneath the tags!

Window-shopping restricted. Here, the Ilias Lalaounis boutique.

Now who could guess this is the somptuous Piaget boutique?

Montega, a watch and jewelry shop (left) facing Burberry and Versace (right).

Les Ambassadeurs took no risk.

The recently inaugurated Van Cleef & Arpels boutique
took care to barricade its luxurious show-windows.



June 2003
© Europa Star