Belgian police removed student protesters from an occupied building at the Free University of Brussels (ULB) on Saturday, bringing an end to a demonstration that had continued since October 22.
The eviction took place at the P1 building on the university’s Solbosch campus, according to Belgian news agency Belga.
The occupation involved university students, secondary school pupils and art school students participating in a wider European youth protest movement against worsening social conditions.
University Rector Annemie Schaus said most demonstrators had complied with an ultimatum requiring them to vacate the premises by Thursday, but a smaller group remained inside.
“Fundamental boundaries have been crossed,” Schaus said, pointing to alleged vandalism, unauthorised access to university offices and disruption of academic activities.
She also condemned hateful graffiti and explicit calls for violence reportedly discovered inside the occupied building.
“After our attempts at negotiations failed, we initiated legal proceedings,” the rector explained, confirming that police had entered the premises with judicial authorisation.
The protesters subsequently announced their removal through social media, claiming that several activists had been arrested during the police operation. The reported arrests were not independently confirmed in the account.
During the occupation, demonstrators had renamed the building in honour of Aicha Aboubaia, a student from Gaza who reportedly had been denied a Belgian visa.
The renaming reflected the protesters’ broader political and social concerns, which extended beyond conditions within the university.
Following the eviction, university authorities announced that preparations were underway to secure the premises, assess any damage and restore the building for academic use.
The intervention ended more than two weeks of occupation amid disagreements between university administrators and demonstrators over protest activities, access to university facilities and the continuation of teaching operations.