The Obama Presidential Center stopped construction Thursday after a noose was found at the site.
Lakeside Alliance, a partnership of Black-owned construction firms, said it reported the incident to authorities and “will provide any assistance required to identify those responsible.”
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“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. We are suspending all operations onsite in order to provide another series of these trainings and conversations for all staff and workers,” the firm said.
Foundation officials are condemning a “shameless act of cowardice and hate” at the site of former President Barack Obama’s presidential center. https://t.co/F2p5HGWORS
— The Pantagraph (@Pantagraph) November 11, 2022
The company additionally said it was offering a $100,000 reward to find the culprit.
“We are horrified that this would occur on our site and are offering a $100,000 reward to help find the individual or individuals responsible for this shameful act. Lakeside Alliance remains committed to providing a work environment where everyone can feel safe, be their best self, and is treated with dignity and respect,” the statement said.
The Obama foundation spoke about the incident and said it was “a shameless act of cowardice and hate is designed to get attention and divide us.
“Our priority is protecting the health and safety of our workforce,” the Foundation said in a statement to The Post.
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J.B. Pritzker also spoke on the act.
“Hate has no place in Illinois,” he said in a social media post. “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.”