A memorial site near Martin Luther King’s tomb in Atlanta, Georgia, was vandalized on Saturday, October 11. A man has been arrested for allegedly urinating on the site.
Around 4:30 a.m. that morning at the Martin Luther King Center for Nonviolent Social Change, building security alerted the Atlanta police department about a man urinating into its reflection pool and stomping on the eternal flame, which represents King’s vision for justice, peace, and equality.
An incident report obtained by Hyperallergic revealed that the suspect initially attempted to put out the memorial flame by urinating on it. After he was asked to leave, he stomped on the pot holding the flame, causing $3,000 in damage. Additionally, the suspect allegedly scattered documents on a nearby memorial podium. The report indicated that there were no weapons, drugs, or “bias motivation” that caused the incident.
Police later identified the suspect as 26-year-old Atlanta resident Brent Jones, who has been taken into custody at the Fulton County Jail. Jones is currently being charged with second-degree property damage, criminal trespassing, public indecency, and obstruction of law enforcement.
In a statement the King Center’s said, “The Eternal Flame still burns with love, and we continue to welcome everyone with open arms and gratitude for the incredible support of our beloved community. The dream lives on.”
The Martin Luther King Center was founded by the eponymous civil rights leader’s wife, Coretta Scott King, in 1968. The nonprofit serves as both a space to advocate for social change and a memorial tomb where the couple are interred. More than one million visitors travel to the center each year.
Despite the incident and the ongoing government shutdown, the King Center, located within the Martin Luther King Jr. National Park, has remained open to visitors.
