Noose discovered at Obama’s Presidential Centre

Work was halted at the construction site of a museum for Barack and Michelle Obama after a noose was found in what has been condemned as a “shameless act of cowardice and hate”.A $100,000 reward is being offered to anyone with information after the object was discovered by construction workers in Chicago this week.The noose has come to symbolise racist hatred against African Americans – a reminder of the nation’s history of racial violence.Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker condemned the act. “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,” he said, in a statement posted to Twitter.The Obama Foundation also condemned the act, saying: ‘This shameless act of cowardice and hate is designed to get attention and divide us. The act was condemned as ‘racist’ (Image: Getty)’Our priority is protecting the health and safety of our workforce.’The incident was reported to police by Lakeside Alliance, a consortium behind the Obama Presidential Center, a museum to commemorate the former President and First Lady in Chicago. It is due to open in 2025.In a statement, Lakeside Alliance said: ‘We are suspending all operations onsite in order to provide another series of these trainings and conversations for all staff and workers.READ MORE: Taiwan rolls out Civil Defence groups ready for Chinese invasion The noose has become a symbol of racism (Image: Getty) The noose was found at the centre by builders (Image: Getty)’We are horrified that this would occur on our site … 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.’Chicago Police confirmed officers were investigating.The building is expected to include a museum, plaza, rooftop garden and a new branch of the Chicago Public Library, according to its website. It will also commemorate and preserve materials from Barack Obama’s presidency. The building was being built to commemorate Obama’s presidency (Image: Getty)Construction work on the building began in September 2021 and it is set to be opened in 2025.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.