Students want to occupy Ghent University for two days to denounce war in Gaza (Ghent)

In Ghent and Brussels, students plan to occupy university buildings next week to denounce the war in Gaza. “The context is different than in the US.”

Together with End Fossil Gent, a group of young climate activists, the Ghent student collective Students4Palestine calls for the occupation of Ghent University. They demand that the rectorate take concrete actions by May 3 to cut its ties with Israeli institutions.If it does not do so, the activists will occupy the university buildings from May 6 to 8. According to Professor Koen Bogaert (UGent), who knows some of the initiators, this would be done in consultation with the university.

An occupation is also expected to take place at one of the Brussels universities next week. “Students have been calling for an academic boycott for some time, but they do not feel heard,” says doctoral researcher Jihane Sliti (VUB). According to her, the occupation would mainly be drawn by students. No occupations are planned at the other universities for the time being.

Lack of transparency

Whether the protests will become as large as in the US seems unlikely. “The context is different,” says human rights professor Eva Brems (UGent). “Our government takes a much clearer position than Biden, and unlike the US, Belgium does not supply weapons to Israel.”

However, according to Brems, there is dissatisfaction about the lack of transparency of Flemish universities about their collaborations with Israeli institutions. “Separately, academics are concerned about freedom of expression, including at European universities.”