WEF Summit 2026: A Landscape of Multidimensional Threats in Davos 19-23 January

Key Takeaways:

• WEF 2026 in Davos is due to host 2,500 official participants, including 200-300 senior political leaders, heads of global business' and Non Governmental Organisations (NGO's), whilst security zones will be established in parts of the Promenade and Talstrasse in the city between 18-23 January 2026.

• Security authorities are heightening preparedness following global lone-actor and small-cell attack trends, with explicit concern for low-tech attacks, drones, and cyber threats. Counter-drone and cyber-defence measures are already in place and continuously updated.

• Attendance by controversial political and business figures (e.g., Milei, Trump-aligned or crypto-sector representatives) may intensify public backlash and increase individual security exposure.

• Senior AI leaders forecast rapid advances, with claims that AI systems may outperform humans across most tasks by 2026–2027, reinforcing debates about labour markets, regulation, and ethical governance.

• Rising antisemitic incidents in Switzerland since October 2024 and local tensions involving Jewish visitors introduce an additional vector of reputational and personal-security risk.

• Activist campaigns have previously targeted aviation and logistics infrastructure (e.g., private jet actions, airfield disruptions) and may again focus on symbolic fossil-fuel- and wealth-linked assets.

• Large-scale violent unrest remains unlikely; however, disruption risk is high, reputational risk is material, and threat scenarios most credible include targeted protests, sit-ins and blockades, online/cyber interference, drone incursions, and opportunistic lone-actor violence.

• Large-scale military and police deployments are expected alongside restricted zones, airspace controls, and transport checks. Estimates of at least an additional 5,000 soldiers are expected to be deployed in the canton of Graubunden.

Context

• The World Economic Forum (WEF) is a Swiss non-profit international organisation founded in 1971 that promotes cooperation among global leaders in business, government, civil society, academia and media to address major international challenges. It is best known for its annual meeting in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, which serves as a central platform for global dialogue on geopolitical, economic, environmental and technological issues.

• The main 2026 themes are (1) cooperation, (2) growth, (3) human-focused investment in the face of AI, (4) responsible escalation (5) prosperity aligned with planetary boundaries.

• This event is expected to be larger than the previous one, with a focus on Artificial Intelligence and other technologies to advance the economy and promote inclusiveness.

Assessment:

In January 2025, Davos witnessed roughly 300 protesters converging ahead of the World Economic Forum in the Swiss Alps. Demonstrators carried banners reading “Tax the Rich”, “Shut up!”, “Pay Taxes” and “Smash Colonial Capitalism”. Police removed hundreds who blocked access roads on the same day. During the Congress itself, Greenpeace activists disrupted proceedings outside the main hall to press for funding a green future; security staff quickly intervened. There were no reports of direct attacks on attendees, though simultaneous actions included paint sprayed over Amazon’s base and helicopter landing disruptions. Further disruption is expected to take place in Bern, Zurich, Lausanne and Geneva.

Environmental concerns intersect with wealth criticism. In January 2025, Greenpeace highlighted the environmental cost of hundreds of private jet flights ferrying delegates to Davos. 27 activists attached inflatable ball-and-chains to jets and placed stickers reading “CONFISCATED: Time to tax the Super Rich”, echoing wider calls for taxation reform that resonated from Nairobi to the European Parliament. The #TaxTheSuperRich campaign frames the issue as structural: ultra-wealthy individuals often defer or minimise taxes through complex financial arrangements, creating extreme inequality despite occasional massive tax payments, such as those recently reported by Elon Musk and published by the Economist Times.

Campaigners’ arguments continue to stress that the ultra-rich can maintain lavish lifestyles while avoiding consistent taxation. While hyperbolic claims, such as Musk’s “IRS computer broke” anecdote, draw attention, advocates insist that structural reform—not one-off settlements—is necessary to address long-term inequality. Against this backdrop, Davos 2026 is likely to remain a flashpoint for debate on taxation, climate responsibility, and the social consequences of concentrated wealth.

The anti-capitalist 'Strike WEF' collective are calling for a protest march to take place between Kublis to Klosters on 17 January 2026, whilst unconfirmed scoping is also set to see a similar rally from this group and environmentalists the following day also in Davos. Previous protest locations have included Postplatz, the Congress Centre, Promenade, Talstrasse, Kurpark, nearby heliports, airports, and hotels hosting summit delegations. 

The protest landscape surrounding WEF 2026 must also be read against the globalisation of tax-justice activism, exemplified by the November 2025 demonstrations in Nairobi, Kenya, where hundreds of protesters mobilised under the #TaxTheSuperRich banner ahead of the UN Tax Convention.

Moreover, social media amplified criticism, highlights the perception that the Forum’s objectives are out of touch with people’s “real needs”, touching on issues ranging from child protection to domestic abuse, while heightened security kept disruptions contained. As part of the social media animosity towards the World Economic Forum, platforms such as Yellow.Forum are claiming that the stakeholder capitalism permeates the UK political sphere. Conspiracy theorists allude to a system in which the “stakeholders” would take over control over companies and citizens and focus on bringing “tyrannical and Marxist” independently of which political party rules the UK. Examples of these alleged tyrannical measures include reaching net zero emissions or gender-inclusive policies. Regardless of the veracity of these claims, this rhetoric could lead to the targeting of politicians, especially those labelled or belonging to the “stakeholders” circle. Reddit threads and other alternative media outlets have published content claiming that the World Economic Forum’s wokeness and corruption are part of their globalist agenda or the “Great Reset”. This is not a new narrative, however, political violence in the United States is indeed on the rise and peaking to levels comparable to the late 60s and into the 70s; public figures forging ideologically allegiances have a higher likelihood of becoming targets by underground right-wing groups or individuals.

The 2026 meeting promises further controversy. World leaders such as Argentina's Javier Milei and the US President Donald Trump, are expected to be attendees. Global finance heads, NGO's and tech moguls are also due to mix with Ultra High Net Worth Individuals (UHNWI) and crypto representatives amongst others. Meanwhile, Anthropic chief Dario Amodei predicts that artificial intelligence will soon outperform humans in most tasks, potentially reshaping debates on productivity and governance.

However, security considerations extend beyond environmental and fiscal activism. Switzerland’s Jewish population, ranked 18th globally by the Institute for Jewish Policy Research, has faced a near tripling of antisemitic attacks since October 2024, raising concerns about potential targeting of high-profile attendees. Nevertheless, Switzerland has historically experienced fewer violent protests compared to other European counterparts, making large-scale industrial action or attacks akin to COP30 in Brazil, unlikely.

Business Outlook:

The terrorist attack in Bondi Beach, Sydney prompted enhanced security measures in Davos. The Head of Graubünden Cantonal Police "Such events can happen anywhere in the world," [...] We didn't expect an attack of this kind in Australia". The security situation is under continuous evaluation. The police commander stated that this responsibility lies not only with the cantonal police but also with the Federal Intelligence Service and the Federal Security Service. 'The heightened threat level shows that we must be even better prepared to counter lone attackers and small groups capable of carrying out assaults with simple methods, including suicide bombings.  

Like the Australia protest landscape, Switzerland has witnessed violent pro-Palestine demonstrations recently: Riots breaking unauthorised pro-Palestine protest in Zurich [June 2025]. Police used tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons against the demonstrators who retaliated.  In another incident, 18 police officers were wounded among others after thousands of protesters took the streets in Bern [October 2025].Even though the World Economic Forum is not presented as a Jewish gathering, it has been highlighted that The Swiss Mountain town of Davos, internationally known for hosting the World Economic Forum, is experiencing tensions between residents and ultra‑Orthodox Jewish visitors. Incidents of harassment targeting Jewish attendees or in the worst-case scenario, terrorist attacks cannot be ruled out.

The Swiss police’s concerns go beyond terrorism; back in 2020, official statements from the Swiss police already emphasised that cyberattacks pose the biggest threats and that security forces are taking a more relaxed approach for the climate activists’ demonstrations.

The threats posed from increasing state-backed espionage targeting the WEF remains a credible threat. A latent risk of sabotage against critical infrastructure, such as energy, transport, and logistics, also remains at the national level. Moreover, drones could potentially penetrate the security system. Police Chief Walter Schlegel confirmed that for roughly a decade, defences against such devices have been in place at multiple WEF locations. The Forum has likewise been preparing for cyberattacks for several years.

Criminal incidents of this nature in the physical and digital world (and given the visibility of the World Economic Forum) opportunistic threat actors may seek symbolic targeting opportunities, especially with the presence of crypto leaders including the CEO of the Cardano Foundation and representatives of OKX US, a major global crypto exchange.  

The 2026 World Economic Forum represents a security scenario where the multidimensionality of threats prevails and leaders have to enhance surveillance, caution and enhanced physical and digital measures to protect their own personal safety, their assets and reputation.