A coalition of trade unions is putting up a 100-thousand dollar reward for tips that lead to an arrest in connection with a noose found hanging at a construction site in Altoona.
“There’s absolutely, positively no place for this kind of behavior in the union construction industry,” Earl Agan, president of the Central Iowa Building Trades, said, “and anything at all we can do to help bring whoever’s responsible for this to justice — and send a clear message to everybody else that this is not acceptable — we’re going to do.”
The noose was found at the Facebook Data Center. Investigators believe it was put there on Juneteenth, the holiday that marks the end of slavery in America.
“There’s no way shape or form anybody should have to put up with this at the workplace,” Agan says, “and we don’t want anybody to feel unwanted when they come to work in the union construction industry.”
The reward money comes from dues paid by construction workers across the country.
“The general presidents and business managers of this area just felt strongly enough about it that we felt it was the right thing to do,” Agan says.
The Altoona Police Department is investigating the incident. Tips may be submitted confidentially by calling 202.227.2964 or emailing [email protected].
The reward offer expires September 1st and $50,000 will be paid if a tip leads to the arrest of a person or persons. The other half of the reward will be paid if there’s a conviction.