The WEF does not have its own paramilitary force. Members of the local police force wear badges awarded each year to mark their participation in the event.
An Instagram post which claims the World Economic Forum (WEF) has its own paramilitary force armed with military-grade weapons is not correct.
The post features a photograph of a man in uniform with two patches on his upper left sleeve. The lower patch depicts two ibex, along with the wording “World Economic Forum Police” and “2022”.
The caption accompanying the post states: “The World Economic Forum has it’s [sic] own paramilitary force complete with @wef BADGES and armed with military-grade weapons. They are harassing and detaining journalists at-will [sic]. By what authority do they operate? Who do [sic] commands them? Do Swiss authorities have any say?"
The most recent annual meeting of the WEF—an international, non-governmental lobbying organisation that says it is “committed to improving the state of the world”—took place in Davos, Switzerland, between 22 and 26 May.
According to the Swiss government, responsibility for the safety and security of the local population and international visitors during the event falls under the auspices of the Graubünden police who operate in the canton—a subdivision of the country—where Davos is located. The police were also supported by up to 5,000 members of the armed forces, according to Switzerland’s Federal Assembly.
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