Amazon has moved down to shut down one of its facilities in Connecticut after an employee found a noose at the warehouse this week. However, this is not the first noose that employees have found at the construction site. Within the last 30 days, employees have found eight nooses at the Connecticut facility. The continued harassment of Black workers at this site has prompted local and state officials to speak out.
“We have a serious problem in America and it hasn’t gone away,” Connecticut NAACP President Scot X. Esdaile told the Associated Press.
“It's deplorable. It’s sickening. It’s a sick mindset that Black people have to fight against.”
The discovery of an eighth noose comes as a bit of a surprise to the tech giant because the company claims to have increased security in the area recently. With this most recent incident, the company has opted to close the facility for the holiday weekend as federal agents investigate further. Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel also issued a brief statement regarding the matter.
“Hate, racism or discrimination have no place in our society and are certainly not tolerated in any Amazon workplace," Nantel said.
"We will continue to work with all levels of law enforcement as well as our development partners, to hold the perpetrators accountable and ensure that all members of our community feel valued, respected and safe.”
As the warehouse prepares to reopen in June, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont says that he will work with Amazon to ensure all security needs are met to prevent future incidents such as this one.
“I can tell you that I’m talking to Amazon,” Lamont said.
“We’re doing everything we can from a security point of view, everything we can from a law enforcement point of view. But I can’t change people’s hearts and it just breaks my heart that this is still going on.”
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