by Mary Spiller
January 18, 2026
Police say viral footage exhibits 65-year-old Robert Burke allegedly threatening a safety guard and shouting slurs in entrance of youngsters.
A Georgia man captured on broadly shared video verbally abusing a safety guard and hurling racial slurs outdoors a Social Safety workplace in suburban Atlanta has been arrested, authorities stated. Gwinnett County Police recognized the person as Robert Burke, 65, who was taken into custody following a separate disturbance someday after the confrontation that drew public outrage on-line. The incident occurred Jan. 14 at a Social Safety workplace on Shackleford Highway in Norcross, police confirmed.
Officers had been initially known as to the federal constructing after studies of a person making threats and aggressively berating individuals contained in the workplace. Investigators stated witnesses offered cellphone video displaying Burke yelling profanities and insults as he was escorted out by a safety guard. Police famous that a number of kids had been current in the course of the encounter.
Within the footage, which circulated broadly on social media, Burke will be heard threatening the guard, telling him to “take a shot” and saying he would “beat the” guard, utilizing expletives all through. At one level, Burke repeatedly refers back to the guard, who’s Black, utilizing a racial slur.
“I’m a citizen… you motherf***er, you’re a n*****,” Burke is heard shouting within the video. When challenged, he responds, “What are you going to do? It’s free speech.”
As Burke exits the constructing and strikes into the car parking zone, he continues yelling insults and threats. In a single second, a lady escorting younger kids into the workplace is pressured to step again as Burke storms previous, nonetheless shouting. Police later confirmed kids had been in shut proximity all through the incident.
In accordance with Atlanta investigators, staff on the Social Safety workplace informed officers this was not an remoted episode. Employees members reported that Burke had prompted disturbances on the location on prior events.
By the point officers arrived on Jan. 14, Burke had already left the scene. Police subsequently obtained a warrant for his arrest on a disorderly conduct cost for his habits in metro Atlanta. The next day, officers responded to a different disturbance name at a Courtyard Marriott resort in close by Duluth, the place Burke was positioned and arrested.
Gwinnett County Police Cpl. Angela Carter stated the case highlights widespread misunderstandings about free speech protections.
“There are exceptions to the First Modification,” Carter stated. “These embody combating phrases. So principally, you possibly can’t make statements face-to-face to somebody that will entice violence in that second.”
The video has since gathered tens of hundreds of views, likes, and shares. Carter inspired the general public to proceed documenting incidents when protected to take action.
“Take video. We love that. It all the time helps us,” she stated. “However nonetheless contact the police so we will take steps to make an arrest shortly in conditions like this.”
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