Noose at Obama Presidential Center site halts construction, builders say

A noose was discovered Thursday at the project site for the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, halting construction, according to the builders of the project and the Obama Foundation.

Lakeside Alliance, the builders of the project, said they are "horrified" and are offering a $100,000 reward to help find the person or people responsible for this "shameful act." 

"This morning we were informed that an act of hate was discovered at the project site," the builders said. "We reported the incident to the police and will provide any assistance required to identify those 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. We are suspending all operations onsite in order to provide another series of these trainings and conversations for all staff and workers."

The Obama Foundation said authorities are investigating the incident. 

"This shameless act of cowardice and hate is designed to get attention and divide us," the foundation said. "Our priority is protecting the health and safety of our workforce. We have notified authorities who are investigating the incident."

The Chicago Police Department told CBS News in a statement that it "is aware of this matter and it is under investigation."

Construction on the center in the South Side of Chicago began in August 2021, and it's expected to take about four years to complete.