Belgian Police Clear Protesting Students Occupying Free University of Brussels Building

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, …

Belgian security forces moved in on Saturday to end the occupation of a university building by a group of students and secondary school pupils who had taken over the facility at the Free University of Brussels (ULB) since October 22.

The operation took place at the P1 building located on the Solbosch campus, where demonstrators, including arts high school pupils, had occupied the premises as part of a broader wave of youth protests across Europe regarding social conditions.

Annemie Schaus, the rector of the university, stated that although most of the sit-in participants had left the premises prior to the Thursday deadline, a core group remained inside.

Emphasizing that fundamental boundaries had been crossed, Schaus cited property damage, unauthorized entry into offices, and disruption of educational activities as the primary motivations for reclaiming the facility. Furthermore, she criticized the presence of hateful slogans on the walls and explicit calls to violence inside the building.

The university rector noted that following unsuccessful negotiations, legal proceedings were initiated, prompting police to act with a judicial warrant.

Conversely, the protesters confirmed the eviction on social media while asserting that a significant number of activists were detained by police during the operation.

Notably, the students had previously renamed the building after Aicha Abu Baya, a female student from Gaza whose visa application to Belgium was reportedly rejected.

Finally, university officials announced that preliminary work for securing and repairing the building to resume regular educational activities is currently underway.