FARMINGTON – The healing began Thursday.

An art student’s divisive social experiment – spreading American flags across the floor on Tuesday and asking people to either step around or on them – had created outrage among area veterans.

On Thursday, veterans were out-numbered by University of Maine students who joined them in support of Old Glory.

A crowd of 80 or more people turned out for a peaceful protest against the student and the University of Maine at Farmington, which sanctioned her project. Susan Crane of Auburn, a UMF senior, said she chose the social experiment to see how people felt about the flag.

Crane said Tuesday that it was difficult for her to place flags on the floor of the student center.

Vietnam veteran Charles Bennett of Farmington, the American Legion’s 4th District commander, asked that the flags be picked up that afternoon. When threatened with arrest after trying to do it himself, he sat on one to prevent desecration.

On Thursday, Bennett stood across from the student center holding Old Glory, joined by veterans and many other supporters.

One, J. Dwight of Wilton, spoke to the crowd at Bennett’s request.

“To allow a student to place flags on the floor as an artistic display shows contempt” for the sacrifice of veterans, Dwight said, “and a disdain for their beliefs. To allow the soles of shoes to tread on the flag is to allow the tread of Al Qaeda terrorists their fondest wish, and greatest Arab insult. This contempt deserves our rebuke.”

Other people, however, supported the university administration for upholding the student’s First Amendment rights, even while some objected to the method.

Some UMF students held a large flag across them. Many stopped to shake veterans’ hands.

“I just feel this would be great to bring people together to show what the flag really means,” said UMF junior Angela Courchesney, 21, of Jay. “I just feel that what happened the other day was a travesty and it’s wonderful that people have come together to show their support for this country.”

Freshmen Stephanie Peak and Katie Cook, both 19 and from Searsport, were there to support the flag.

“We just decided art is one thing, but putting the flag on the floor or ground is completely disrespectful,” Peak said.

“There are certain things you just don’t do,” Cook said. “You don’t yell fire in a movie theater. There are boundaries.”

“Our dads are veterans, and it is part of who we are,” Peak said.

“It hits close to home,” Cook added. “They fought for us to be able to do that, so it’s kind of a kick in the face.”

Ron Smith Jr. of Temple served during the Vietnam era, and family members including two sons served in the military.

“(Crane) had the right to do this. I just feel she should have found another project. Nobody has the right to disgrace the flag,” Smith said.

Robbie Kanner, a UMF junior from Fairfield, who stood on the display Tuesday, said the idea of Crane’s project was to get a reaction as a social experiment, and it did.

“I’m still not too incredibly worried about standing on it. It was pieces of Duct tape in the formation of a flag,” Kanner said.

The smaller flags were made in China, which bothered him more, he said.

“If it was a real flag, I would have been more cautious,” Kanner said.

Ted Gill, 18, a UMF student from Yarmouth, held a large poster reading “God Hates Flags” on one side and peace and love symbols on the other.

“A flag is a symbol of a nation,” Gill said. “The only power a nation has is violence to enforce its laws … Because they use violence they’re incompatible with Christian ideas … I completely support administration in supporting the First Amendment.”

Celeste Branham, UMF vice president for student and community services, said the university reached out to Bennett on Thursday and welcomed him.

“What’s so amazing at this moment is how communal this event has been,” Branham said.

“I think it was great,” Bennett said. “Most of them were students and that’s what I wanted. They have to live here. They are very patriotic.”

Added Dwight in his prepared remarks: “That flag stands for freedom.”

Joe Paradis of Industry said the gathering was a good show of support for the flag and the troops and to educate people about respect for the flag.

“It’s not just a piece of cloth,” Paradis. “I’m blown away by the number of college students. I’ve got renewed faith in this system.”