Eternal flame at Martin Luther King Jr.’s Atlanta burial site vandalized

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October 11, 2025

From WSBTV

The eternal flame burning in front of a mural of Martin Luther King Jr — The Eternal Flame of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (TaoLar2020, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

ATLANTA — A man is facing charges after damaging the eternal flame at Martin Luther King Jr.’s burial site.

Police say Brent Jones, 26, urinated in the reflecting pool and stomped on and broke the eternal flame at the site.

A family visiting the area told Channel 2 Action News that they wanted to visit the burial site, but showed up Saturday morning to find it destroyed.

They shared photos that showed broken pieces strewn across the area.

Police say that Jones was taken into custody.

According to Fulton County jail records, Jones is charged with public indecency, trespassing, criminal damage and obstruction.

Keep reading to see how The King Center has responded.

Stop by The King Center’s website.

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