Police have removed students from an occupied university building in Brussels, ending a protest that had continued for more than two weeks. The operation took place at building P1 on the Solbosch campus of the Université libre de Bruxelles.
The occupation began on October 22. Students had turned the building into a space for meetings and organising as part of a wider protest movement. Their demands included opposition to higher enrolment fees, concerns about working conditions and objections to the university’s cooperation with Israeli institutions and the arms industry.
The university called in police after negotiations with the occupying students failed. Four people were placed under judicial arrest during the operation, according to reports cited by BelgiumNow.
Police said the eviction passed calmly and that there were no major incidents. The university’s leadership, however, said the occupation had disrupted normal activities and raised concerns about damage to the building.
Rector Annemie Schaus said the university had tried to resolve the situation through discussions but believed that certain limits had been crossed. She also said the building needed to be secured and restored before regular activities could resume.
The protest formed part of a wider debate about student rights, university policies and the role of academic institutions in international issues.
The university now plans to restore the building and return it to normal use. Students and staff are waiting for further information about when activities in the affected rooms will restart.
