Leuven (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): The student celebration, delayed a week due to the Pope’s visit, occurred on 3rd October Thursday with hundreds attending. Police reported a calm event with minor incidents and effective crowd management.
The first night out for students, which marks the start of the school year, was pushed back by a week because of a visit from the Pope. Even though they had to wait longer, the event finally happened on 3rd October Thursday night, and the students were excited to celebrate. While everyone was looking forward to it, the night was lively but still well-behaved. The atmosphere was fun, but the students acted responsibly, likely out of respect for the delay and the local authorities present.
How did Leuven students celebrate the school year’s start amid police oversight?
According to Vranckx from the local police, the night was busy but mostly calm with no major problems. The students were excited to start the school year but behaved well, and everything went smoothly. The police had expected a large crowd but found that the event went off without any big issues. He mentioned that they successfully balanced celebration and safety, making the evening memorable for the students.
The police reported a few minor incidents, like some public urination and small fights, but they didn’t need to intervene much. They were well-prepared, with many officers patrolling the city center, including some with dogs. Vranckx noted the large number of bicycles around the Oude Markt, which made it very crowded, so officers had to move some to keep pathways clear. Many students used bikes to get around, and activities were happening throughout the city center, not just at the Oude Markt.
