Nooses found on trees in Oakland will be investigated as hate crimes, mayor says

Nooses found hanging from trees at Lake Merritt in downtown Oakland, California, will be investigated as hate crimes, Mayor Libby Schaaf reported Wednesday on Twitter.

“Reports that these were part of exercise equipment do not remove nor excuse their torturous and terrorizing effects,” Schaaf wrote.

“We are all responsible for knowing the history and present day reality of lynchings, hate crimes and racial violence,” she wrote. “Objects that involve such terror will not be tolerated in Oakland’s public spaces.”

Lake Merritt, actually a tidal lagoon containing both fresh and saltwater, covers 155 acres in downtown Oakland, according to the City of Oakland.

It features nature centers, fitness areas, baseball diamonds, jogging paths, kayaks for rent and other amenities, the city says.

The discovery of the nooses comes during heightened racial tensions across the United States amid protests sparked by the death of George Floyd while he was in police custodyin Minneapolis on Memorial Day.

Floyd, a black man, died after officer Derek Chauvin, who is white, knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Chauvin and three other officers have been fired and charged in his death.

This story was originally published June 17, 2020 at 1:20 PM with the headline "Nooses found on trees in Oakland will be investigated as hate crimes, mayor says."