Brussels (Brussels Morning) – Pro-Palestinian slogans were vandalized on VUB student restaurant walls. Vrije Universiteit Brussel filed a complaint and expects adjacent occupiers to distance themselves. Damage is estimated at 25,000 euros. Occupiers deny responsibility.
From Wednesday to Thursday, several pro-Palestinian slogans were placed on the walls and tables in the VUB student restaurant. The Vrije Universiteit Brussel has filed a complaint against unknown persons and expects the adjacent pro-Palestinian occupation to publicly distance itself from the incident.
How Much Damage Did VUB Restaurant Vandalism Cause?
The VUB student restaurant was broken into during the night from Wednesday to Thursday. That night, pro-Palestinian slogans such as ‘Student Intifada’, ‘Free Palestine – Academic Boycott’ and ‘Boycott Israel’ were placed on the walls. “Everything is sprayed in the restaurant. The devastation is enormous,” says Peter Van Rompaey, spokesman for rector Jan Danckaert.
“The police came by on Thursday morning to determine the facts. This vandalism is not one, but several bridges too far in the protest against Israel. The damage to the restaurant is currently being measured, but will certainly amount to 25,000 euros.”
What Actions Is VUB Taking After Restaurant Vandalism?
The VUB rectorate asks the students of the adjacent occupation in the same building to publicly distance themselves from the burglary and the defacement of the walls and tables. “We do not know who the vandals are and therefore absolutely do not accuse the occupiers. But we do expect them to distance themselves from this act. As a member of the VUB, they condemn this action. The student restaurant is important for staff and students, especially during this exam period. They should know that too.”
In response, the organizers of the student occupation stated that they were not responsible for this action. “We are certainly not the only ones campaigning for an academic boycott and for a free Palestine. This goes beyond just the camping students,” says the student occupation, organized by the VUB Palestine Solidarity Network.
Furthermore, the group reacts with dismay to the rectorate’s expectation that they would publicly distance themselves from the burglary. “The rector has refrained from making a public response to our five demands for weeks, but now he expects a public statement from us? Vandalism is higher on the agenda than genocide.”
At the VUB they find the reaction of the occupiers strange. “The VUB has always opted for a dialogue with the occupiers,” says Van Rompaey. “The rector has spoken to them several times. The VUB is also transparent about its ties with Israel and has already acted appropriately in this matter. However, it is not the case that we will immediately comply with the five demands of the occupiers; such things happen in continuous dialogue. The occupiers are now comparing two things that cannot be compared.”
