By Max Schwarz and Yves Herman
DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) – Climate activists sprayed green paint over Amazon’s base in Davos on Monday and disrupted helicopter landings at the start of the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting.
Swiss police swarmed to close down both protests as global business and political leaders descended on the mountain resort on the opening day of the meeting, where demonstrations over fossil fuels and climate change have become a regular feature.
Demonstrators protesting over fossil fuel subsidies daubed orange symbols on the shop front where Amazon has set up a temporary base on the main street in Davos, as well as splattering green paint over the plate-glass windows.
Greenpeace, which briefly blocked the heliport in Davos, said in a statement that it had taken the action to call for “a fair tax on the richest people, to fund environmental protection and invest in a fair and sustainable future for humanity”.
Police moved in to remove around 10 protesters who were blocking two vehicles at the heliport entrance with bright yellow banners saying “TaxTheSuperRich”.
“So far we have blocked 10-20 helicopters in one and a half hours. Over the course of the day we are expecting around a hundred helicopters arriving here,” Greenpeace activist Clara Thompson told Reuters.
High-profile politicians and business leaders often use the helicopter pad to land in the Swiss Alpine resort. Security is tight for the WEF meeting, where one of the main themes for discussion this week is “safeguarding the planet”.
The WEF said on its 2025 programme that it is “crucial for businesses, governments, and civil society to work together to find common solutions and take decisive action”.
(This story has been corrected to fix the spelling of Thompson in paragraph 6)
(Reporting by the Reuters Team in Davos; Editing by Alexander Smith)
