The bicycle rack under Building 9 was hastily removed on Wednesday, Oct. 21 in preparation for President Obama’s visit the following Friday. About twenty bicycles were cut off the rack and their broken locks were left lying in a pile on the pavement.

The racks were “removed by request of the Secret Service,” said Ruth T. Davis, a spokeswoman for Facilities.

There was neither advance notice of the removal nor signage about it after the fact.

Bicycle owners can contact mitparking@mit.edu to get their bikes back.

—John A. Hawkinson