Fairburn man accused of hate-fueled threats after visiting Jewish sites

ATLANTA - A North Georgia man is in jail, charged with making racial threats against Jewish and Black people, according to federal prosecutors.

What we know:

Christopher Robertson, 42, of Fairburn, was arrested Friday after a standoff with FBI agents, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia. He made his initial court appearance Monday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Catherine M. Salinas.

Robertson is charged with communicating interstate threats.

The backstory:

Officials said Robertson went to the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta on July 31 and was seen wandering in a secure parking lot. Staff alerted security, who approached him. Robertson had driven into the gated area without permission, according to officials.

Robertson told security he was "the official spokesperson for the white race" and said he wanted to speak with a high-ranking Jewish official. After being asked to leave, he drove to The Temple, a nearby synagogue in Midtown Atlanta.

There, Robertson spoke with two staff members and asked to speak with a rabbi. Prosecutors said he made derogatory remarks about Jewish people and ranted about the decline of the white race. An Atlanta police officer was present at the time, and Robertson left after the comments.

After the encounters, the FBI reviewed several social media accounts linked to Robertson and found antisemitic and threatening video content.

Officials said one YouTube video showed Robertson singing, "F*** the Jews, f*** you if you Jewish, one shot, two shot, leave you in the sewage." A Facebook post from July 28 allegedly showed Robertson holding a black pistol with a loaded magazine. In that video, he spoke about the "cultural genocide" of the white race and wrote in the caption: "I will not tolerate cultural genocide get that understood — I will fight for it, I will die for it, I will kill for it."

Due to the threats, law enforcement increased patrols at approximately 80 Jewish facilities across the Atlanta area.

On July 31, shortly after Robertson posted on Facebook that he wanted to "chop it up with a rabbi," officials said he entered a Chabad Jewish center in Peachtree City.

The Chabad rabbi called 911 while staff members barricaded themselves in an office.

Robertson recorded the encounter and posted it on Facebook, officials said. In the video, he called himself the "official delegate of the white race" and told the rabbi that Jewish people were on the "verge of extermination."

He left the building when police arrived.

What we know:

On Aug. 1, Robertson posted another Facebook video, this time threatening Black people, saying: "We will kill the s*** out of you guys. . . . We will f***ing murder you."

Officials said he specifically targeted Black individuals who "lash out openly at the white man."

Later that day, a federal court issued a warrant for Robertson’s arrest on the interstate threat charge.

When FBI agents attempted to arrest him at his home, officials said Robertson barricaded himself inside for several hours. He eventually surrendered, and a firearm was recovered from the scene.

What's next:

Robertson will remain in jail until his next court hearing, scheduled for Thursday.

What they're saying:

Officials addressed the arrest after Robertson appeared in court on Monday.

"The allegations against Robertson, which include menacing visits to Jewish facilities and vile online threats against Jews and Blacks, are of great concern," said United States Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. "Protecting the community from hate-fueled violence is a foundational part of the Department of Justice’s mission, and we will aggressively prosecute criminals who abuse the internet to terrorize and intimidate others."

"Mr. Robertson’s alleged actions serve as a disturbing reminder of the terrifying hatred our Jewish communities encounter simply because of their beliefs," said Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta Paul Brown. "The FBI will continue to work diligently with our law enforcement and community partners to investigate any individual who threatens the safety of our residents."