Last week, one of NASCAR’s only Black drivers, Bubba Wallace, successfully called for the ban of Confederate flags on all NASCAR tracks. Wallace was moved to action by the murder of Ahmaud Arbery and called for the ban on the flag, which harkens back to times of American slavery. He also expressed that the perceived hate symbol could deter potential fans of the sport.
One week later, a noose was found hanging in Wallace’s garage stall. NASCAR quickly took action, informed Wallace of the hate crime and asked the FBI to conduct an investigation.
On June 23, the FBI brought the investigation to a close and determined that Wallace was not the victim of a hate crime. Although the FBI acknowledged that the rope was, indeed, a noose, officials said that the rope had been there since the last race in Talladega, dating back eight months prior, in October of 2019. They also said that there was no way for anyone to have known that Wallace had been assigned to that specific garage.
Many flocked to Twitter to express their skepticism at the official verdict. In a matter of hours, Wallace went from being categorized as the victim of a hate crime to an accomplice in a racial hoax in the eyes of many.
If the Bubba Wallace “noose” turns out to be a hoax or a willful misrepresentation of the garage-door pull (as seems likely with that video now making rounds) Wallace, his crew, NASCAR, & several talking-heads owe fans and the entire South an apology—& it wont ever happen.
— Ryan Prong (@RyanProng) June 23, 2020
The FBI sent 15 agents to investigate Bubba Wallace’s Noose HOAX.
Terrorists are wrecking havoc everywhere and Bubba’s noise hoax gets 15 agents.
Fucking ridiculous!
— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) June 24, 2020
It was a hoax.
The FBI did an investigation on the “noose” found in Bubba Wallace’s NASCAR garage,
& it was a door pull.
The sensationalized fairytale was another Jussie Smollett-like hoax. #FakeNoose
— #ThePersistence (@ScottPresler) June 23, 2020
As a response, John Ziegler wrote in the New York Post that the media was eager to believe any story about racial bias.
“As reliably as children being fooled by Santa Claus,” he wrote. “The news media has once again been duped by an obviously false story that fit their favorite narrative about race.”
The Post, which is known for its conservative bent and right-wing bias, has often published editorials critical of Black Lives Matter. In spite of doubts from conservatives, Wallace remained adamant that the placement of the noose was deliberate.
“It was a noose,” he said. “Whether it was tied in 2019 or whatever, it was a noose. It wasn’t directed at me, but someone tied a noose. It [was] a noose.”
Although the initial fire of the incident has not died out his activism towards advocating for Black Lives Matter has continued.
Bubba Wallace appeared on CNN Tonight on Tuesday to respond to the FBI’s determination that he did not suffer a hate crime pic.twitter.com/xcxoP5M2SA
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 24, 2020
“I’m pissed. I’m mad because people are trying to test my character and the person that I am and my integrity.” – NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace on social media reaction to the conclusion of the FBI investigation into the noose found in his team’s garage https://t.co/YH4ynYqv64 pic.twitter.com/fB0m9Yj9FD
— CNN Tonight (@CNNTonight) June 24, 2020
