CNN
—
A noose was found at the construction site of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago on Thursday, prompting the group overseeing the project to suspend work at the site.
The Lakeside Alliance, a joint venture of several construction companies working on the center, reported the incident to police and issued a statement saying it would “provide necessary assistance to identify those responsible.”
The group is offering a $100,000 bounty for information leading to those responsible, their statement read, adding that they will “reward all forms of bigotry and hatred in our workplaces.” We have zero tolerance,” he added.
“We are suspending all on-site operations to provide all staff and workers with these courses of training and conversations,” the statement reads, adding that anti-bias training is part of the onboarding process. is referring to “It is terrifying that this should happen at our site…The Lakeside Alliance remains committed to providing a work environment where everyone feels safe, can be their best self, and is treated with dignity and respect.” It is working.”
The Obama Foundation also released a statement saying it had notified authorities.
“This shameless act of cowardice and hatred is designed to draw attention and divide us. Our priority is to protect the health and safety of our employees,” the foundation said in a statement. says.
Chicago Police told CNN they were “aware of the matter and are investigating.”
The Obama Presidential Center was first unveiled in 2015 when the Barack Obama Foundation officially announced that Chicago’s South Side would be home to the project. The former president also considered his hometown of Honolulu, Hawaii, for a library, but Chicago, a longtime library favorite, won out.
The center serves as the foundation’s headquarters and presidential library.
Obama chose Chicago because, as he said in the video announcing his 2015 election, “it’s where all the elements of my life come together.” He said his political career began in the city, where he met Michelle Obama.
However, the project has been delayed by lawsuits and local complaints. In 2019, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit that tried to block building a library in Jackson Park, saying construction must begin immediately. The lawsuit was brought by environmentalists who took issue with public land being used for private projects.
The Obamas finally broke ground on the center in September 2021. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Illinois Governor he was joined by JB Pritzker.
