Nooses, Anger and No Solutions: Contained in the Uproar Over a Future Amazon Web site

Representatives from Amazon and the other companies involved say they did everything in their power, postponed construction twice, added safety precautions and cameras on site, and allocated $ 100,000 in prize money to anyone who provided information about the slings can. These are unusual moves, especially for Amazon, which often does not get caught up in local affairs. The companies also say their power is somewhat limited because there are dozens of subcontractors involved in the project that are not under their direct control.

Adding to the riot is disagreement over some of the most basic facts of the case, such as the number of snares found. The NAACP, which has held several press conferences in Windsor, says there were up to eight snares. Police say two were real slings while the other six were ropes with the type of loop often used on construction projects.

“I don’t remember anything like this ever happening,” said Mr. Trinks of his town. “I don’t know what the message is,” he said, “but it’s an offensive and disgusting statement.”

The location of the future Windsor Amazon fulfillment center – part of a huge construction project – is six kilometers from the city center near Interstate 91. It is surrounded by rolling fields with few buildings in the countryside and is expected to be around the New metropolitan area York and Connecticut to use.

As with many of its new warehouses, Amazon won’t take ownership until the project is complete, which is expected next spring. Until then, the site is owned by Scannell Properties, a developer based in Indiana. Scannell hired RC Andersen, a New Jersey company, to handle the construction, including hiring about three dozen subcontractors.

The steel frame of the building, which will end up five stories high and provide 3.8 million square feet of space for Amazon goods, rose by December.

The problems started a few months later. In late April, a local television reporter asked the city police chief if his department would investigate a noose on the second floor of the emerging building. A similar notice and a photo of the noose were sent to the local NAACP group.

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