The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) has launched an investigation into a video filmed at night on its Geneva campus depicting a mock ritual human sacrifice, a spokeswoman said on Wednesday.
The bizarre video shows several individuals in black cloaks gathering in a main square at Europe’s top physics lab, in what appears to be a re-enactment of an occult ceremony.
The video includes the staged “stabbing” of a woman.
“These scenes were filmed on our premises, but without official permission or knowledge,” a CERN spokeswoman said in an e-mail.
“CERN does not condone this type of spoof, which can give rise to misunderstandings about the scientific nature of our work,” she said.
The “investigation” under way was an “internal matter,” she said.
The video has raised questions about security on CERN’s campus.
Asked to detail the security procedures surrounding access to the campus, the CERN spokeswoman said: “CERN IDs are checked systematically at each entry to the CERN site whether it is night or day.”
She further indicated that those responsible for the prank had access badges.
“CERN welcomes every year thousands of scientific users from all over the world and sometimes some of them let their humor go too far. This is what happened on this occasion,” the e-mail said.
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