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Portraits Of Black Faculty Members Defaced At Harvard Law

Harvard Law School reported Thursday that portraits of black faculty members were defaced.

Several portraits of black faculty members were discovered Thursday morning with black strips of tape placed diagonally over the faces.

The portraits were on the first floor of Wasserstein Hall, which houses two hallways with more than 180 framed portraits of law professors.

About six portraits were discovered with tape on their glass frames. The tape has since been removed.

Harvard officials said they don't know if there's a connection between the vandalism and a Wednesday rally on campus supporting black students across the country.

Harvard police are investigating the incident but declined to comment.

The law school's dean, Martha Minow, said in an email to law students that she was "saddened and angered" by the act, according to The Harvard Crimson.

Minow scheduled a community meeting Thursday in response to the discovery of the defaced portraits. At the meeting, according to the Crimson, Minow said: "Racism exists in America and in the United States and in Harvard and in Harvard Law School."

With reporting by The Associated Press and the WBUR Newsroom

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