Galesburg Man Charged With Felony Hate Crime

A Galesburg man is in a Knox County jail after Galesburg Police say he yelled racial slurs at a a black man and woman and attacked the man.

Police say they have arrested Brian McLaren, 48 of Galesburg. According to the Galesburg Police Department Facebook page, the incident happened at approximately 11 p.m. Saturday on Ohio Ave. When officers arrived they said they saw a man, identified as McLaren, swinging at a black man in the street.

Upon separating the group, police say McLaren had approached the male and female as they walked down the street. McLaren began yelling racial slurs at them and physically attacked the male. Both victims are African-American. McLaren tried to hit the pair with his fists and thew a trash can at them. McLaren appeared to be intoxicated, police say. 

Police arrested McLaren and said while in custody he made “numerous racial comments which were recorded on the squad car video system.”

McLaren was taken to the Knox County Jail, where he was processed on a felony hate crime charge. He remains in custody and is awaiting a bond hearing, according to Galesburg police.

On the police department’s Facebook page, Galesburg Police wrote,

“I would like to say that The Galesburg Police Department takes matters like this very seriously. There is no place for hate or violence in Galesburg. Your police department will do everything we can to serve the public and provide a safe community to live in.”

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