Construction at the Obama Presidential Center has been paused after a noose was found on the South Side of the site, according to reports.
A $100,000 reward is offered to help find the responsible person.
“We are horrified that this would occur on our site,” the Lakeside Alliance, the group of construction companies building the center, said in a statement.
The Lakeside Alliance said it was told about the discovery on Thursday and reported it to the police, NBC News reported.
The department is now investigating where the noose came from, a Chicago police spokesperson confirmed.
The rope noose was found in the stairwell of the construction site, according to a police source.
The Lakeside Alliance is now offering a $100,000 reward to find the person responsible.
“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 site-wide meetings,” it said in a statement.
“We are suspending all operations on site in order to provide another series of these trainings and conversations for all staff and workers.”
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The Obama Foundation said in a statement that its priority is the health and safety of its workforce.
“This shameless act of cowardice and hate is designed to get attention and divide us,” the foundation said.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker released a statement following the discovery at the Obama Presidential Center:
“Hate has no place in Illinois. 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.”
”I condemn this act of hate in the strongest possible terms, and the state of Illinois will make all needed resources available to help catch the perpetrators,” Pritzker added.
