Students at a middle school in Utah walked out of class Wednesday in protest of a policy allowing peers to attend classes dressed in cartoonish animal costumes, otherwise known as “furries.”

Mt. Nebo Middle School students report furries have been causing disruptions by biting, scratching, spraying air freshener on, barking at, and chasing other students, as detailed by ABC4.com.

Wednesday’s hours-long protest was evidently an effort by students to demand the district enforce its dress code policy, as put forth in a Change.org petition that’s received over 1,400 signatures.

Students reportedly carried signs reading, “Compelled speech is not free speech,” “I will not comply,” and “We just wanted to learn.”

“We’re standing up for what we believe is right,” one student told the media outlet.

Speaking to ABC4.com, a furry named Strudel explained, “Furry is a fandom,” and claimed, “We don’t think that we’re animals.”

“I really like the idea of animals that walk and talk, so I’m going to dress up as one, as kind of a fun sort of cosplay thing,” described Strudel.

The protest comes as some students claim furries have been acting out towards other members of the student body.

“There was some kids dressed up as animals and I heard that another kid got bit by one of them,” one parent told ABC4.

“Back when I went to school, you couldn’t dress that way. You couldn’t do certain things, and I think it kind of has to go back a little bit. And I know kids need their own personalities, but it’s ridiculous when kids are dressing like animals and licking and biting people. I just don’t think that’s ok,” she added.

However, according to a district spokesperson, the problem has been embellished and possibly altogether fabricated.

From ABC4:

“A lot of the information that’s been put out there is completely incorrect and inaccurate,” Nebo School District Public Information Officer Seth Sorensen told ABC4.com.

While Sorensen said there have been issues with harassment or students making others feel uncomfortable or unsafe, he said most of the claims online are false.

“The administration at the school addressed that with the entire student body and they sent out a couple of emails,” Sorensen said. “Some of those emails were misinterpreted, and parents took to online formats to voice some of their concerns and questions.”

Moreover, Sorensen said videos circulating online showing furries at school didn’t come from Mt. Nebo and called reports of furries “a little bit inaccurate.”

“Today, we had some students and parents choose to exercise their right to assemble, and do a little protest for what they perceived was something that was happening in the school,” he insisted. “It actually is not something that’s been occurring.”

Even Strudel conceded school’s not the right place for cosplay, saying, “school is for learning.”