The FBI and United States Department of Justice are investigating a noose found in NASCAR’s Bubba Wallace’s garage at Talladega Superspeedway.
“The U.S. Attorney’s office for the Northern District of Alabama, FBI and the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division are reviewing the situation surrounding the noose that was found in Bubba Wallace’s garage to determine whether there are violations of federal law,” a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice read Monday. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
“Regardless of whether federal charges can be brought, this type of action has no place in our society,” the statement added.
Federal prosecutors in Alabama, FBI agents and DOJ Civil Rights Division attorneys are “reviewing the situation surrounding the noose that was found in Bubba Wallace’s garage.” https://t.co/4dnmhcHak6
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) June 22, 2020
It all comes after NASCAR President Steve Phelps shared that “late yesterday afternoon” a “noose was discovered” and a “crew member informed NASCAR,” per a tweet from an editor with Variety magazine. (RELATED: President Trump To Attend Season-Opening Daytona 500)
.@NASCAR is holding media call to address matter unveiled yesterday. President Steve Phelps is on the call
— Brian Steinberg (@bristei) June 22, 2020
“Security and leadership convened, and immediate investigation was launched,” the post added. “FBI notified and is ‘currently on site.'”
Phelps continued, per the outlet, “We are in early stages of this. This was a very very serious act and we take it as such.”
Wallace released a statement sharing that “the despicable act of racism and hatred leaves me incredibly saddened and serves as a painful reminder of how much further we have to go as a society and how persistent we must be in the fight against racism.”
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“As my mother told me today, ‘They are just trying to scare you,'” he concluded in his post on Instagram. “This will not break me, I will not give in nor will I back down. I will continue to proudly stand for what I believe in.”