back to article Swiss cops BAN MASKS at meeting of rebellious United Nations IP staff

Around 150 UN staff met yesterday evening to protest over a continued lack of transparency at the UN's intellectual property agency WIPO and the sacking of its head of the staff council, Moncef Kateb. Originally the gathering was to be held outside the main building, and frightened staff were offered masks. But an email sent …

  1. Mage Silver badge

    Amazing

    You'd not be taken seriously if it was in a book ...

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The question is

    are they really small or is the chair close?

    1. Semtex451

      Re: The question is

      That's the Chair of the Assembly, its not his best side.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: The question is

        one of its legs is broken too. Or should that be, one of his legs?

  3. This post has been deleted by its author

  4. Stretch

    how come everything in Switzerland is so corrupt?

    1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge

      What makes you think this is the case?

      1. tirk

        Sepp Blatter?

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          UBS and Nazi Gold?

    2. Anonymous Coward
      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        > Is Switzerland corrupt - what a silly question

        Such linking to statist whining.

        The Alpine nation of Switzerland has built a reputation as the world´s centre for tax evasion, fraud accounting, money laundering, racketeering, and above all a staunch ally of corrupt third world leaders and a great beneficiary of third world corruption.

        I don't see any problem with any of this. In particular "staunch ally of corrupt third world leaders" is SOP for everyone today, but Switzerland does not label them allies on the first day, and bomb them the next for reasons of internal politics.

        1. John G Imrie

          Ammeters

          At least compared to The City of London

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          What on earth is ...

          racketeering? Some sort of tennis or squash game?

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: What on earth is ...

            You know, thumb-downers to the question about "racketeering", we are not all Yanks, God be praised. So the odd USA nomenclature in their laws or reporting means b- all to native English speakers who do not worship at the USA altar.

            Try answering and translating instead. What is "racketeering"? Excessive noise? Conspiracy to commit a crime? Aiding and abetting? Blackmail? Demanding money with menaces? Fraud?

            Or do n't you know either?

  5. i like crisps
    Facepalm

    Cardinal Burns...

    They should've worn 'prosthetics' just like the 'Banksy' character does....no law against prosthetics is there?.....or, or, all dress up as Spiderman or Batman....no law against wearing 'Fancy Dress' costumes is there?.......just didn't think it through did they.

    1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge

      Re: Cardinal Burns...

      If there's a law against masks, there'll be a law against superhero costumes too.

      However the police can't tell a false beard from a real one, and I doubt there's a law against sunglasses. Or if shades aren't an option because it's indoors or not sunny, and you don't want to look an arse like Bono, get one of those disguise kits with false nose, moustache and glasses. Job done.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Cardinal Burns...

        If it's an honest protest, why should you wear a mask?

        I agree that police should not wear masks. The state in any form should not hide itself.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Will the police be wearing masks?

    Seems like that is becoming more common in such situations. I think if the people aren't allowed to wear masks, the police should not be either.

  7. Anomalous Cowshed

    I know it's rude

    ...And I know that this is a prestigious organisation which deserves respect, and so on and so forth, but whenever I hear "WIPO" being mentioned, I think of my nose or of a baby's bottom. Why? I can't work it out.

    1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge

      A pox on all their houses

      > prestigious organisation which deserves respect,

      Pretentious organization which deserves all the disrespect one can muster?

      Why anyone would freely choose to work there is beyond me.

      1. ZSn

        Re: A pox on all their houses

        Because of the large tax-free salary?

    2. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

      Re: I know it's rude

      "whenever I hear "WIPO" being mentioned, I think of my nose or of a baby's bottom. Why? I can't work it out."

      My brain adds "Mr" in front of WIPO and a get a craving for ice cream.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Wait a sec, that's Geneva

    So technically they could just walk up the road and protest on French soil.

    Of course, then it'd look like they're protesting CERN...

    1. Khaptain Silver badge

      Re: Wait a sec, that's Geneva

      Since no-one at the NGO's or other large "organisations" pays any tax, aren't they not on a sort of No-Mans-Land. They should therefore have the right to demonstrate without fearing the intervention of Geneva's finest ( no, not the coke dealers, the police)..

      1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge
        Mushroom

        Re: Wait a sec, that's Geneva

        "aren't they not on a sort of No-Mans-Land"

        I think my brain just exploded!

      2. Yes Me Silver badge

        Re: Wait a sec, that's Geneva

        When they are outside WIPO's site they are subject to Swiss law, except in the course of their duties as international civil servants. otoh, the Geneva police are always very careful when dealing with internationals, because they know where Geneva's bread and butter comes from. What is more important is whether WIPO is indeed riding roughshod over their staff's rights, and that's very hard to judge from outside. For the staff to appeal directly to the member states is par for the course.

        btw most NGOs in Geneva are *not* tax-exempt. The UN treaty organisations and CERN are generally tax-exempt, so that the tax payers of other countries do not effectively subsidise the tax payers of Geneva. Salaries are supposed to be calculated allowing for the absence of income tax.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Wait a sec, that's Geneva

          And the employing bodies are supposed to pay some sort of lump sum to the hosting authorities in lieu of employee income tax.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    It seems amazing that Idris, the prior WIPO DG, was pushed out for making himself older than he was on his job application, far from a criminal offense and for what amounts to possible criminal offenses nothing seems to be happening to Gurry. Makes you wonder.

  10. Mark 85

    Amazing to me

    That Gurry can violate the sanctions imposed by the member nations and then go witch-hunting wihen someone blows the whistle on him. Even more amazing that so many are singing his praises. I guess there's nothing like building a little empire within a larger empire and where nothing is accountable, including the usual BS that comes out the front door.

    Can we just bulldoze the entire thing and either start over or just save the money being spent to support such a corrupt organization?

  11. I. Aproveofitspendingonspecificprojects

    So say you are a mad Libyan Colonel or one of his sons or an Ugandan despot and pay the ultimate price for having a neck too far, is it true all their money ends up in Nigerian e-mails?

    Or do the kindly Swiss keep looking after it?

  12. Tom 13

    If this were any organization except the UN

    I might be able to muster some sympathy for the workers. But given they work for the most corrupt organization in the world, how can they expect anything else?

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