Last week, the Disciplinary Committee of the VUB ruled on an incident in which two students followed, harassed and intimidated Flemish MP Koen Daniëls (N-VA) on and off campus.
Rector Jan Danckaert would like to clarify a few important points:
- Despite internal and external pressure, the disciplinary procedure was carried out correctly from beginning to end. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to this. The need for a proper and fair procedure is also why I have refrained from commenting until now.
- The Disciplinary Committee rejected all the alleged procedural errors raised by the students involved, except for one, which concerned a reconciliation process related to earlier acts of vandalism by one of the students. We will therefore review and adjust the reconciliation process accordingly. I regret that the process did not produce the desired outcome.
- The Disciplinary Committee stated clearly that this case was not about freedom of expression or political views, but rather about how those views were expressed. The decision explicitly states:
“Contrary to what the students allege, this disciplinary procedure is not about their exercise of the right to assembly and freedom of speech. Nor is it about their opinion that Mr Koen Daniëls, by virtue of his membership of a political party, is a war criminal complicit in genocide in Gaza, or the fact that they expressed this opinion as a group on 27 June 2024.”
- Contrary to what some have claimed in the media and on social media, the students did indeed receive a sanction. They were formally reprimanded, meaning their actions were found to be in violation of our community's values and standards. The charges of harassment were substantiated. The Committee stated:
- Despite Mr Koen Daniëls having decided to leave the VUB campus – which was clearly the students’ objective – he continued to be followed on campus by a number of students, including XX and YY (names anonymised, ed.).
- During this pursuit, slogans of the kind mentioned above were shouted repeatedly, among other things through a megaphone operated by XX.
- Even after Mr Koen Daniëls had left the campus, he was pursued through public space by several students, including XX and YY, all the way to the Etterbeek railway station and the nearby pedestrian crossing.
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Along the way, random bystanders – unaware of what had taken place on campus or the broader context – were approached and told that Mr Koen Daniëls is a war criminal, complicit in genocide in Gaza, and that, among other things, he should be tracked down.
The Committee concluded that Mr Daniëls’ sense of personal safety had been compromised. This conclusion was based on, among other things:
- The statement given by Mr Koen Daniëls to the Local Police on 9 July 2024 (…).
- The statement submitted by Mr ZZ to the Vice-Rector’s Delegate (…).
- The report filed by the Security Service on 27 June 2024 at 14:28, which noted that approximately five staff members ‘remained in close proximity at all times to intervene in case of any incidents or escalation, and to preserve the sense of security that for some individuals had been impacted by the personal nature of certain remarks.’
- A transcript of the video footage, in which a bystander at Etterbeek station can be heard addressing Mr Daniëls with the words, “This is totally wrong.”
Based on all of this, the Disciplinary Committee unanimously ruled:
- The alleged misconduct on 27 June 2024 is proven and constitutes a disciplinary offence as defined in Article 3, §1, b) of the Disciplinary Code, namely conduct that undermines the dignity of a person.
- The Disciplinary Committee issues a formal reprimand to students XX and YY, as provided for in Article 11, §3, a) of the Disciplinary Code.
Finally, I would like to reaffirm that the Vrije Universiteit Brussel stands for the development of critical and independent thinkers, and for a culture of open debate — at all times rooted in mutual respect. There is no room on our campuses for intimidation, personal harassment or disrespect towards people with different opinions. Everyone — regardless of political belief or background — must be able to take part in academic life safely and without fear. That has been true in the past, is true today and will remain true in the future.
Jan Danckaert,
Rector