WIPO hit by Little Mermaid
DeeDee - 11.12.2003 20:12
We Seize Activists Project on WIPO Headquarters
This week in Geneva, Swizerland, media activists have gathered to provide a counter "summit" to the WSIS: the World Summit on the Information Society, which is being hosted by the International Telecommunications Union and UNESCO. W$IS?WE SEIZE! has brought together several hundred media makers who have built a polimedia lab, a streaming High Noon internet post and a series of conferences. Their first lab space was raided and shut down on Tuesday by Swiss police, but working with a representative of the green party, they were able to negotiate an well equipped new space at a former discotech.
Tonight the group gathered at the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) building to project a short tape from Negativeland which spoofs copyright by having the Little Mermaid speak about the imporatance of private property.
The police initially tried to stop the screening, but were persuaded to go easy when presented with an invitation to the screening, printed (unbeknownst to the police) by the group, which looked like a formal and official invitation from WSIS, inviting people to a reception and screening at the WIPO. Several delegates in suits also showed up, having received the invitation at the summit meetings, where it was widely distributed.
After the police had called the headquarters, and with the assistance of a green party official, the screening was instantly "authorized" and the crowd cheered as the Disney images were seen against the windows of the building.
A good time was had by all, including a WIPO employee who passed around chocolates to several of the activists.
 E-Mail: dhalleck@ucsd.edu  Website: http://www.hubproject.org
|
