Tehran, IRNA - Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani has reacted to a decision by a US court to halt the anti-Zionist student protests at the University of California.

Kanaani stated in a Farsi post on his X account on Tuesday, "The disparity between slogans and actions; the breach of the 'right to freedom of expression and belief' in the United States, and the enactment of a US court order to halt the anti-Israel protests by students at the University of California."

Officials from the University of California Student Union have stated that the court's decision to forcibly halt the university students and staff's strike in support of Palestine is beyond its judicial authority, he added.

A recent ruling by a California court has mandated that employees of the state's university cease their strikes.

This development occurs as protests at various universities in California, and across the nation, unfold concurrently with the Gaza war.

The US police have been using heavy-handed tactics to suppress protests by students, claiming that the demonstrations disrupt public order. However, an independent survey indicates that almost 97% of these protests have been peaceful in nature.

The Guardian reported that an assessment of 553 student protests across the US between April 18 and May 3 found that they did not result in significant harm or damage.

The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) announced that between October 7 and May 3, the vast majority of student demonstrations, around 97%, remained peaceful and non-violent. Over 94% of the more than 1,360 student demonstrations held between October 7, 2023, and May 3, 2024, have expressed support for the Palestinian cause.

According to the AP, over 3,000 people have been arrested at 63 colleges and universities throughout the US since April 18.

3266**2050