Police evict students occupying Brussels university building since Oct. 22

Belgian police on Saturday evicted students occupying a building at the Free University of Brussels (ULB) since Oct. 22, ending a protest involving university and secondary school students.

The eviction took place at the P1 building on the Solbosch campus, according to Belgian news agency Belga.

The protesters, including art school students, had occupied the building as part of a broader European youth movement against deteriorating social conditions.

University Rector Annemie Schaus said most protesters had complied with an earlier ultimatum to leave by Thursday, but some remained.

"Fundamental boundaries have been crossed," Schaus said, citing vandalism, unauthorized entry into offices and disruption of university activities.

She also denounced hateful graffiti and explicit calls for violence allegedly found inside the building.

"After our attempts at negotiations failed, we initiated legal proceedings," she said, adding that police intervened with judicial authorization.

The protesters confirmed their eviction on social media, claiming several activists had been arrested during the operation.

The occupants had renamed the building after Aicha Aboubaia, a student from Gaza who reportedly had her Belgian visa denied.

The university said preparations were underway to secure and restore the building so academic activities could resume.