Belgian universities look for balance amid Gaza protests

“We have to let the moderate, reasonable voices have their say,” explains one rector

Amid growing protests on Belgian university campuses over the conflict in Gaza, several university leaders have put out statements saying they are trying to balance support for academic freedom and the right to protest with the need to protect the right to education and prevent damage to institutional property.

Students at KU Leuven (pictured) and Vrije Universiteit Brussel started occupying campus buildings on 13 May to denounce their institutions’ collaborations with Israeli universities, while an occupation protest at the University of Ghent, ongoing since last week, has garnered support from staff, according to media reports.