#NooseHoax Trends After Bubba Wallace’s NASCAR Mystery Is Solved
The keyword #NooseHoax trended on Twitter on Tuesday afternoon after Bubba Wallace’s NASCAR mystery was solved by the FBI.
On Sunday, a rope was discovered in the stall of Wallace’s garage. Because Wallace is NASCAR’s lone black driver, many thought it carried racial implications.
Over the next couple of days, many athletes and entertainers came out in support of Wallace. NASCAR also came out and pledged to deal with the situation swiftly.
US Attorney Jay Town of the Northern District of Alabama subsequently launched an investigation with the FBI and DOJ Civil Rights division into the situation.
On Tuesday, investigators announced that the noose in question had actually been laying around in the garage for a year and that it was not a racist crime. Whoever left it behind intended to use it to hold open a door, not to insult Wallace.
“The FBI has completed its investigation at Talladega Superspeedway and determined that Bubba Wallace was not the victim of a hate crime,” NASCAR said in a statement.
“The FBI report concludes, and photographic evidence confirms, that the garage door pull rope fashioned like a noose had been positioned there since as early as last fall.
“This was obviously well before the 43 team’s arrival and garage assignment. 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.”
Wallace has yet to respond to the investigators’ findings.
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