Feds Investigating After Confederate Flags Found 'All Around' Church Where MLK Once Preached

ATLANTA (AP) -- Federal authorities and police are investigating after Confederate battle flags were found around the Ebenezer Baptist Church and the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta.

Church maintenance found four battle flags laying on the ground and alerted rangers. #wsbtv pic.twitter.com/Slfkpg1UbH

— Richard Elliot (@RElliotWSB) July 30, 2015

Church officials say one of the Confederate battle flags was placed under this "Black Lives Matter" sign. #wsbtv pic.twitter.com/SJF26zop8H

— Richard Elliot (@RElliotWSB) July 30, 2015

The Rev. Shannon Jones of Ebenezer Baptist tells The Associated Press that police and federal officials were working to remove the flags Thursday morning.

Jones says several flags were discovered on the grounds early in the morning. He described them as being placed "all around" the area and appearing to be plastic flags with wooden sticks.

Jones says Atlanta police Chief George Turner was at the scene.

King once preached at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church. That church is part of the King center, which is a National Park Service site. Nearby is a newer Ebenezer Baptist Church, where the congregation now meets.