After an ignored ultimatum, ULB has police clear the occupied P1 building, four students detained
The occupation on the Solbosch campus lasted more than two weeks; the rector speaks of vandalism and hate messages on the walls.
Police on Saturday morning ended the occupation of the P1 building on ULB's Solbosch campus in Ixelles at the university's request. According to the occupiers, the eviction began at around 6.30 am, La Libre writes. The Brussels-Capital/Ixelles police zone told Bruzz that everything went calmly and that four judicial arrests were made; it gave no further details so as not to hamper the investigation.
The students had been in the building since 22 October. Their grievances included the rise in tuition fees, the university's ties with Israeli institutions and the arms industry, and growing insecurity among students and staff. They had named the building after a student from Gaza who, according to Bruzz, is stuck at the border after Belgium refused her visa.
Rector Annemie Schaus had given the occupiers until Thursday to leave. Most did so, but some stayed. Schaus speaks of vandalism, intrusions into offices and numerous hateful inscriptions and calls for violence, and says police acted with a judge's authorisation after attempts at dialogue failed. The activists announced a new gathering on social media.