The University of California (UC) has enforced a ban on encampments on its premises and the use of face masks in response to pro-Gaza protests which swept across universities in the United States in the wake of Israel’s onslaught on the besieged enclave. The president of UC, Michael V Drake, claimed in a statement on Monday that the university was taking heavy-handed measures to ensure “a safe, inclusive campus climate that fosters a free exchange of ideas”. “Freedom to express diverse viewpoints is fundamental to the mission of the University, and lawful protests play a pivotal role in that p…