Belgian students occupy university building to voice their demands on Gaza, climate crisis
Brussels, May 7 (Hibya) - More than 100 students occupied Ghent University in Belgium in the first protest organized in Europe to voice their demands on Gaza and the climate crisis.
Ghent's most significant UFO building was peacefully taken over by students calling for concrete action to meet the university's 2030 climate plans and demanding that the university cut ties with institutions linked to the Israeli military.
Tents were set up inside the building, which houses all the university's administrative functions. The building's 1,000-seat "guillotine-walled" lecture hall was dedicated to an impromptu workshop on "how we can find hope in a world of genocide and global warming".
More than 200 Ghent students are expected to take part in the three-day protest as anger builds ahead of an expected Israeli attack on Rafah. At the same time, students at the University of Amsterdam have also organized an occupation action.
A spokesperson for the Ghent students, who gave her name as Joelle, said their action stemmed from an occupation by End Fossil Gent last year and student anger over events in Gaza. "Free Palestine is a climate justice issue" was the theme of an action leaflet produced in partnership with Ghent Students for Palestine.
Albania News Agency