The Catholic University of Leuven (KU Leuven) has sought a judicial order to end an occupation by pro-Palestinian student activists of one of its buildings.
Proceedings started on Friday, attended by fifty supporters standing with three students making their case before the justice of the peace.
The students have been since 13 May in the De Valk building, protesting against the violence in Gaza against Palestinian civilians during the Israel-Hamas war.
Previously, KU Leuven sought to have the activists, expelled through a summary procedure in Leuven’s court of first instance. The judge rejected the university’s pleas, finding the occupancy peaceful and that expulsion would be excessive. The verdict was upheld in the Brussels Court of Appeal.
The university has now initiated a new process before Leuven’s Justice of the Peace. It requests freedom for its campus "so that it can be used again for the fundamental functions of the university, namely teaching and research."
The students have repeatedly declared that they will not end their protest, according to the university. "KU Leuven had no choice but to start this process," the institution claims, adding that summoning the three students was a "procedural requirement".
The university’s lawyer justified the summons with the argument that the three students had appeared in the media identified as "representatives" of the protest. Only one of the summoned students was present at the hearing.
The central issue of the case was not discussed on Friday. The Justice of the Peace expects responses from both sides by September 4 and plans to make a ruling within two weeks thereafter, ahead of the new academic year.
