Students from the Student Occupation Movement for Palestine were evicted from the University of Liège (ULiège) early Sunday morning.
They were asked to leave the August 20 building in the city centre around 7:00. For the past ten days, the students had resumed their occupation, citing the university’s failure to adhere to ethical standards.
It was a collaboration contract with arms company THALES, a global leader in the industry, that reignited the occupation day and night. The student movement accused the university of merely pretending to uphold values, especially in light of ongoing conflict in Gaza.
In response, ULiège stated that repeated requests for the students to leave had been ignored. The university felt compelled to enforce a court order to ensure the exam session beginning on Monday, 26 May, could proceed safely and peacefully.
According to ULiège, the latest occupation, which began on 13 May, was not preceded by any consultation. Spokesperson Didier Moreau noted that students claimed the university had not consulted the Commission for International Relations at Risk before forming the Thales Belgium chair. The students further alleged Thales’ involvement in supplying arms to Israel and Russia.
However, the university affirmed that a meeting did occur. Though not mandated to consult the commission, ULiège convened it on 16 May to review the ethical facets of the partnership, aiming to calm tensions.
Following the meeting, the commission made three actionable recommendations: appointing an ethics expert to the chair’s advisory committee, prior ethical review of results for future commercialisation, and initiating a broader academic debate on the ties between academic research and the arms sector.
ULiège reported that the first two suggestions were accepted by Thales’ CEO and relayed to students. The third recommendation is being developed at the inter-university level with CRef.
ULiège noted the eviction was peaceful.
The Student Occupation Movement for Palestine may undertake further actions soon.
