Pro-Palestinian Activists Storm Ghent University Rectorate
Around 40 masked pro-Palestinian activists stormed and occupied the rector’s building at Ghent University (UGent) early Wednesday morning, marking a dramatic escalation in a protest that has gripped the Belgian university for five weeks. The activists set up tents inside, covered security cameras, climbed onto the roof, and displayed banners and graffiti demanding a complete academic boycott of Israel. The university has initiated summary legal proceedings to evacuate the building, with a court ruling expected within hours, according to VRT NWS.
Context: Five Weeks of Protest
The occupation of the rector’s building is the latest and most serious escalation in a protest movement that began on April 22, when activists first occupied buildings at UGent’s Coupure Campus. The protesters later moved to the centrally located UFO building, where they have maintained a presence for weeks. Rector Petra De Sutter had previously allowed the occupation to continue, stating there was no legal basis to remove the activists as long as safety was ensured, as The Brussels Times reported on May 11.
Tensions escalated significantly on May 19, when multiple UGent campuses were vandalized with red paint and pro-Palestinian slogans including “Cut all ties.” The university filed a police complaint, stating that while it respects non-violent protest and free expression, “that freedom must not come at the expense of others’ property.”
The University’s Concession
On May 14, UGent’s Board of Governors decided to accelerate withdrawal from five “problematic” Horizon Europe research projects with Israeli partners. Rector De Sutter announced that the university would use a method previously tested with the OSTEONET project to exit all five simultaneously, as VRT NWS reported. De Sutter acknowledged that the policy has already cost the university research partnerships, income, and doctoral positions.
However, the activists deemed this concession insufficient. Youlian Burnham, a spokesperson for the protesters, described the decision as “a victory” but insisted that much more needed to be done. “There are still many other ties that according to UGent are not problematic,” Burnham said. “We are very firm: all ties with Israeli institutions are problematic and must be addressed and restricted. We demand a complete academic boycott.”
Wednesday’s Escalation
In the early hours of Wednesday morning, approximately 40 masked activists stormed the rector’s building. They set up tents inside, covered security cameras, and some climbed onto the roof. Banners and spray-painted graffiti messages were displayed. Additional damage was reported at the UFO building, where the ongoing occupation continues.
Rector Petra De Sutter responded firmly: “The peaceful actions we have long tolerated have derailed. There is damage, there is vandalism and the offices are no longer accessible. This must stop, a summary proceedings procedure has been started.” She added that while the university understands outrage over the situation in Gaza and shares it, “these actions compromise safety.”
Police are currently observing the situation from a distance while the university awaits a court ruling on the evacuation order. UGent has called on staff not to go to the rector’s building.
Historical Precedent
This is not the first time the rector’s building has been occupied. A similar pro-Palestinian occupation occurred in 2024, which also escalated and led to legal proceedings. In May 2024, a protester was charged with assaulting a UGent staff member during a rectorate occupation — a case still pending in 2026. In May 2025, about 100 students and staff briefly blocked the rector’s building.
Analysis and Implications
The escalation at UGent reflects a broader wave of pro-Palestinian campus activism across Europe and North America, where students are demanding institutional divestment from Israel in response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Similar protests have occurred at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, where police recently cleared an occupation, and at numerous universities worldwide.
The protest has followed a clear escalation trajectory: peaceful occupation, vandalism, and now the storming of the rector’s building. Each concession by the university has been met with intensified demands, creating a dilemma for De Sutter, who faces competing pressures from activists demanding complete divestment, faculty concerned about safety, and critics who accuse her of being too lenient.
What’s Next
The immediate focus is on the court ruling, which could order an evacuation of the rector’s building within hours. Key unresolved questions include whether activists will comply with a court order or resist, how the situation will affect upcoming exams scheduled to begin May 26 in the UFO building, and whether UGent’s board will consider further concessions. The outcome at UGent may set a precedent for other Belgian and European universities facing similar protests.
As The Brussels Times noted, the activists have outlined three key demands: end all existing collaborations with Israeli institutions, refrain from starting new partnerships, and lobby to exclude Israel from the European research programme Horizon Europe. With the university pursuing a legal rather than political resolution to the occupation, the underlying dispute remains unresolved.