Safety concerns after noose found at Edina Community Center

(FOX 9) - People in Edina say they are concerned for the safety of all that live, work and play there, after a school district employee discovered a noose at the Edina Community Center on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, July 27, many people showed up at a protest in town to stand up against the racism.

"It could’ve been what somebody thought was a prank, a lousy prank by some kid, but it’s not funny, and it’s not something we’re going to tolerate it," longtime Edina Mayor Jim Hovland said at the protest.

The noose was found on the roof of the community center, which is the home of Edina’s district offices and an elementary school.

"[It] was hung down into one of the courtyards," Edina superintendent Stacie Stanley explained. "And that means someone climbed up on the roof to do that."

The families gathered at the protest to make it clear that this is not what the district stands for; or who they are as a community.

"When we don’t say something we are part of the problem," Leticia Guadarrama said.

Superintendent Stanley says there are cameras on the roof of the building, and video from them has been shared with Edina Police. The noose was immediately removed and reported to Edina Police.

Stanley doesn’t want to let the situation drag her school district backwards, "Incidents like this, they are designed to deter us from the work we’ve been doing and we are not going to be deterred," Stanley said.

Mayor Hovland believes the act was meant to intimidate and scare, "It conjured up thoughts of crosses burning in yards and people in white cloaks running around in the middle of the night," he said.

"In response to this we’re going to keep moving forward," Stanley continued. "Change doesn’t happen overnight."

"This will unite our community and we will start to have a plan to make our community more welcoming," Guadarrama finished.