‘Trump not welcome’: Protesters burn US flag in Switzerland ahead of president’s Davos trip

Protesters have burned American flags in the streets of Switzerland, sending a clear message to US president Donald Trump: “You are not welcome”.

Trump is set to arrive in Davos on Wednesday to attend the World Economic Forum, but his trip comes amid growing anger over his threats to takeover Greenland.

“Put the Trumpster in the dumpster” was just one of the many signs at a demonstration in Zurich overnight as thousands gathered to show their opposition to the American leader.

Violent clashes are reported to have took place between protesters and police after windows were smashed and properties damaged, according to Swissinfo. Pictures shared on social media also showed people in masks burning a US flag.

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Officers in riot gear used water cannon to quell the unrest and break up the demonstration shortly after 9:30pm, according to local media.

Police used chemical irritants and rubber bullets to shut the protest down after they said they were pelted with stones and fireworks. No injuries were reported.

Elsewhere, activists from the Swiss NGO Campax projected a cartoon image of Trump onto a ski slope during a protest against his attendance with the words: “Spirit of plutocracy”.

Over 3,000 participants including CEOs and at least 60 world leaders are expected to gather in the town of Davos in the Swiss Alps this week.

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Trump is due to deliver a speech on Wednesday, following days of public spats with European leaders over his plans for Greenland. The president says the US needs the territory for security reasons and has yet to rule out military action to take it.

On Tuesday morning, Trump doubled down on his threats, writing on social media: “There can be no going back”, as the summit got underway.

He has threatened to impose tariffs on countries trading with Greenland, prompting a retaliatory threat by Europe of tariffs estimated to be worth €93bn.

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Trade tensions are expected to dominate discussions in Davos, although Ukrainian officials said that negotiations on a peace deal with Russia will also continue alongside the conference.

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, emphasised the continent’s capabilities to police the Arctic and criticised Trump’s tariffs threats in a speech at Davos on Tuesday.

Protests have taken place in Greenland in recent days with 5,000 people attending, including the territory’s prime minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen. It marked the largest demonstration in its history, with 25 per cent of the capital of Nuuk attending.

Similar protests have taken place across Denmark with several thousand attending across Aarhus, Aalborg and Odense.

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California governor and potential presidential hopeful Gavin Newsom called European and American leaders “pathetic” for failing to challenge Trump’s rhetoric.

“I can't take this complicity of people rolling over,” Newsom said to Sky News after he arrived in Davos. “I should have brought a bunch of knee pads for all the world leaders. I mean handing out crowns, the Nobel prizes that are being given away. It's just pathetic.

“And I hope people understand how pathetic they look on the world stage.”

Likening Trump to a T-rex, he added: “You mate with him or he devours you, one or the other, and you need to stand up to it. They need to stand tall, stand firm, stand united.”