Lamont Lingerie Party Uncovered by HUPD

A few hours before the semiannual Primal Scream, a handful of undergradauates prepared their own semiannual, semi-clothed tradition in Lamont Library. But while Cambridge and College officials turn a blind eye from the nude run in the Yard, derobed students were reprimanded by the Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) for their library exhibitionism.

At 9:42 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 12, a HUPD officer was called into Lamont Library on a report of three individuals acting suspiciously. According to the HUPD police log, “the officer located the individuals, two of which were wearing undergarments. The officer informed the individuals to put all their clothes back on and then sent them on their way.”

HUPD spokesman Steven G. Catalano did not return a request for comment. Lamont officials similarly could not be reached after repeated attempts to ascertain whether the call to HUPD came from Lamont employees or other students.

The individuals in question were residents of the Dudley Coop, whose “study break,” involving taking off clothes down to their undergarments, has become a pre-finals tradition for them.

Anne-Marie Zapf-Belanger ’09 wrote in an e-mail that about 10 students—including a few non-residents of the Coop—participated in the library derobing. Five other students who were contacted declined to make a statement about the incident.

Zapf-Belanger wrote that she participated both in the Lamont study break and Primal Scream on the night before her final to relieve stress by running and screaming. “The nudity is just icing on top of that. Naked icing,” she wrote.

Last year, Zapf-Belanger made Crimson headlines after posting a “casual encounters” message on Craigslist.com soliciting a partner for a sexual tryst in Widener Library. “I don’t actually find it necessarily sexy to take off my clothes in a library,” wrote Zapf-Belanger.

Zapf-Belanger, who said she did not encounter the HUPD officer, wrote that the studyers “played up the humour part” of their near-nakedness. “I’m not sure why they were hassled, though, because as far as I know, it’s not illegal to go around in your underwear. No private parts were showing, so it’s no different from tanning on a beach,” she wrote.

—Staff writer Kristina M. Moore can be reached at moore2@fas.harvard.edu.