As we told you yesterday, a noose that was reported to have been found in a Harlem park sparked a hate crime investigation as directed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The “noose” turned out to be some rope that remained from a construction scaffold.
Meanwhile, in Oakland, California, multiple “nooses” spotted in a park were reported to the authorities, and the city’s mayor ordered a hate crime investigation:
Several nooses found on trees around Lake Merritt were removed and will be investigated as hate crimes. pic.twitter.com/JW8TvY6pi4
— Libby Schaaf (@LibbySchaaf) June 17, 2020
Again, the nooses were found to not be nooses at all:
Nooses found in an Oakland, California, park were part of a "swing system" park-goers used for exercise.https://t.co/FCL8SxUJh3
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) June 18, 2020
From @ABC News' report:
"Victor Sengbe, who is black, told KGO-TV that the ropes were part of a rigging that he and his friends used as part of a larger swing system."— Mark Harrison (@meh130) June 18, 2020
"It's unfortunate that a genuine gesture of just wanting to have a good time got misinterpreted into something so heinous," said Victor Sengbe, who claimed the ropes were part of a swing system he and his friends had rigged. https://t.co/E3iFmiTeSW
— WDBJ7 (@WDBJ7) June 18, 2020
Victor Sengbe of #Oakland says the nooses found in #LakeMerritt were not a symbol of hate. He says the nooses were used to attach a makeshift swing. “It’s unfortunate that a genuine gesture of just wanting to create a good time got misinterpreted.” @nbcbayarea pic.twitter.com/7vutrZYDHu
— Melissa Colorado (@melissacolorado) June 17, 2020
Here's the pictures of what they originally looked like on April 9th. They've been gradually degrading in the sun and snapping, or someone cut them down, but folks retied loops on the end to swing from. Not nooses. pic.twitter.com/C1esjLhtIS
— Joe LoCascio (@josephlocascio) June 18, 2020
We’re guessing the stories about what the “nooses” actually were won’t get nearly as much circulation as the initial reports.
Why was this reported so widely without any scrutiny? Why do so many in the media think spreading unfounded racial fear is some kind of moral duty (and probably lucrative)? https://t.co/Qrb1Q2mxra
— Zaid Jilani (@ZaidJilani) June 18, 2020
JFC
— EducatëdHillbilly™ (@RobProvince) June 18, 2020