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The incident led to a temporary halt in construction, the Chicago
Tribune reported, citing the construction consortium that is
building the center.
"The Chicago Police Department is aware of this matter and it is
under investigation," police spokesperson Alex Aguas said in an
email.
The noose was reported to police by the Lakeside Alliance, a
construction team of Black-owned companies that is building the
Obama Presidential Center, which will be a museum and public
gathering space commemorating Barack and Michelle Obama, the first
African-American president and first lady.
The noose is a symbol for the lynching of thousands of former slaves
and their descendants who were hunted down, killed, and often hung
from trees in the Jim Crow period following the end of slavery in
the United States in 1865.
"The noose is more than a symbol of racism, it is a heart-stopping
reminder of the violence and terror inflicted on Black Americans for
centuries," Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker said on Twitter.
The Lakeside Alliance is offering a $100,000 reward to help find
those responsible, the Chicago Tribune reported, citing an alliance
statement.
"We have zero tolerance for any form of bias or hate on our
worksite. Anti-bias training is included in our onboarding process
and reiterated during sitewide meetings. We are suspending all
operations on-site in order to provide another series of these
trainings and conversations for all staff and workers," the alliance
said.
Construction on the site began in 2021 and the center is due to open
in 2025.
(Reporting by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Robert Birsel)
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