FBI says Bubba Wallace not a target of a hate crime (The BOY WHO CRIED WOLF)
FBI says Bubba Wallace not a target of a hate crime
By David Close, CNN
Updated 6:24 PM ET, Tue June 23, 2020
(CNN)The FBI said it has concluded its investigation in regard to the noose found in the team garage of NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace and determined he was not the target of a hate crime.
"The FBI learned that garage number 4, where the noose was found, was assigned to Bubba Wallace last week," the agency said in a statement Tuesday. "The investigation also revealed evidence, including authentic video confirmed by NASCAR, that the noose found in garage number 4 was in that garage as early as October 2019. Although the noose is now known to have been in garage number 4 in 2019, nobody could have known Mr. Wallace would be assigned to garage number 4 last week."
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NASCAR drivers offer Bubba Wallace show of support after noose found in his garage
NASCAR issued a statement regarding the FBI's decision saying, "We appreciate the FBI's quick and thorough investigation and are thankful to learn that this was not an intentional, racist act against Bubba."
"We remain steadfast in our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all who love racing," NASCAR said.
The discovery of the noose Sunday afternoon in Wallace's garage stall at the Talladega speedway came as the United States, and NASCAR in particular, more squarely address America's systemic racism in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd.
Wallace, the only Black driver in NASCAR's top circuit, has been an outspoken advocate of the Black Lives Matter movement and the corresponding protests against racism and police brutality.
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Why the noose is such a potent symbol of hate
He wore an "I Can't Breathe" shirt before one event, repainted his car with the "Black Lives Matter" phrase and called on NASCAR to ban the Confederate flag, which the organization agreed to do June 10.
A source with Richard Petty Motorsports told CNN that Wallace never saw the noose. A member of his team discovered it and immediately brought it to NASCAR's attention, the source said.
Wallace tweeted Sunday that the "despicable act" left him "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."
"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," Wallace said.
On Monday, NASCAR drivers, pit crew members and others walked alongside Wallace and escorted his Number 43 car in a show of support for the conclusion of the race.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/23/us/na...ace/index.html
