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Confederate flags found at US black church in Atlanta Confederate flags found at US black church in Atlanta
(about 1 hour later)
US police are investigating after four Confederate flags were found on the grounds of a church near the Martin Luther King Jr Center in Atlanta.US police are investigating after four Confederate flags were found on the grounds of a church near the Martin Luther King Jr Center in Atlanta.
The flags, which were placed neatly on the ground, were discovered at about 06:00 local time (11:00 GMT) on Thursday by a maintenance worker. Officials said security camera footage showed two white males placing the flags on the ground at the church.
No eyewitnesses have come forward yet but security camera footage of the area was being reviewed, police said. They were discovered by maintenance workers on Thursday morning. One of the church's pastors said it was "a hateful act" meant to intimidate churchgoers.
The flag is very divisive in the US and seen as a symbol of slavery by critics.The flag is very divisive in the US and seen as a symbol of slavery by critics.
Staff were disturbed when they came across the flags at the Ebenezer Baptist Church, according to the Reverend Shannon Jones.Staff were disturbed when they came across the flags at the Ebenezer Baptist Church, according to the Reverend Shannon Jones.
"Our groundsmen were so upset, they took pictures and then they moved them," she told reporters."Our groundsmen were so upset, they took pictures and then they moved them," she told reporters.
She said the church has been holding a conference on the role on black churches in social justice issues this week. She said the church has been holding a conference on the role of black churches in social justice issues this week.
Police said a security guard had seen a suspicious vehicle parked near the church on Wednesday night, but it is unclear if it was involved. 'We will not be intimidated'
"We do have images of two white males placing those flags on the campus," police chief George Turner said at a news conference.
There were no more details about the suspects but Mr Turner said the video would be released to the public soon.
"We've seen this kind of ugliness before," he said, adding that it was disgusting but not surprising.
He said they had "good, strong physical evidence" and were not ruling it out from being a hate crime.
Rev Raphael Warnock, a senior pastor at the church, said: "It is a hateful act. I view it as an effort to intimidate us in some way, and we will not be intimidated."
Mr King once preached at the church in Georgia's capital.Mr King once preached at the church in Georgia's capital.
The Confederate flag the battle emblem of the southern states in the US Civil War, and its supporters today say it is an important part of southern heritage. The Confederate flag is the battle emblem of the southern states in the US Civil War, and its supporters today say it is an important part of southern heritage.
The backlash against it grew when nine black people were shot dead at a South Carolina church in June. The man charged with the killings, Dylann Roof, was pictured holding the flag.The backlash against it grew when nine black people were shot dead at a South Carolina church in June. The man charged with the killings, Dylann Roof, was pictured holding the flag.