Anti-minority e-mails containing a bomb threat closed the University of Iowa’s College of Dentistry Wednesday.

The threats were received Tuesday afternoon by several people in the College of Dentistry, said Steve Parrott, interim director of University Relations. The college has been experiencing a rash of anti-minority threats in recent weeks from an e-mail address called Minorityrid.

Parrott said the university’s Department of Public Safety investigated the threat along with police from the area, including bomb squads from Johnson and Linn counties.

He said there was no sign of a bomb, and the college will resume activities today.

“What we’re going to try to do is try to get back to business as usual,” Parrott said.

Parrott said the university is taking some security measures to ensure the safety of the students, patients and faculty of the college.

“There will only be one entrance to the building, and people coming in will be searched,” he said. “Essentially, nobody will be allowed in unless they’re searched.”

Parrott said there also will be additional security guards outside and inside the building.

“We’re also going to try to provide some resources,” he said. “All day [Wednesday], we’ve had a phone number people can call if they have questions.”

The university will provide support services today, Parrott said, including counselors from University Counseling Services.

The investigation into the bomb threats is being led by the U of I Department of Public Safety, which is working with the Iowa City and Coralville police, Parrott said. He said the police have asked the university not to discuss some aspects of the case, including whether a group has claimed responsibility.

Last week, about 1,000 people showed up to support the people in the College of Dentistry during the “Walk the Walk” rally.

Jacqueline Comito, graduate student in anthropology, was one of the organizers of the rally.

“I was concerned; it’s upsetting that it has been taken to yet another level,” she said. “It was disconcerting that, if it is correct what the e-mail said, then it referred to the fact that people were protesting.”

Parrott said the rally effectively showed support for the College of Dentistry.

“I think we want to remind people that even though we think this is repugnant, last Tuesday really showed the true colors of the community,” he said.

Although there are no more formal plans at present, Comito said organizers may try to put together another event.

Parrott said the attitude of the responsible parties does not reflect the attitudes of the university community. He said the bomb threat was not only an attack on the College of Dentistry but to the entire community.

“This is an attack on all of us, and we all want to stand together and say, ‘We won’t put up with this,'” he said.

Parrott said if the responsible parties are associated with the university, officials will take whatever possible disciplinary action.