Portland police are looking into a possible bias crime after a noose was left tied to a baseball field fence in Southwest Portland.
Someone reported the noose Friday morning at Hamilton Park, in the 4300 block of Southwest 47th Drive, police said. The noose, which was made of rope, was tied to a backstop at the park’s softball field. The park is adjacent to Bridlemile Elementary School.
School officials told police they think someone left the noose Thursday night. Police are working with Portland Public Schools to investigate.
Earlier this year, a series of similar incidents were reported in Portland and surrounding areas. In May, Portland police said a noose was found at the site of the Fourth and Montgomery building, which houses Portland State University, Portland Community College, Oregon Health & Science University, and city of Portland functions.
Officials from the city and higher education institutions denounced that incident as a “disgusting act of racism.”
OHSU has also had two incidents in the past year involving nooses.
The noose represents a violent history against Black people, and many associate it with lynching.
—Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR