FARMINGTON – Veterans rallied in front of the Post Office on Main Street Saturday to show support for U.S. troops and respect for the American flag.

The rally was held in protest of a University of Maine at Farmington art project in which a student placed flags on the floor of the student center last month to see whether people would walk on them or around them. The project evoked strong feelings, particularly from some local veterans.

Disabled Vietnam veteran Charles Bennett was among those who were most distraught over the project. He tried to pick up the flags and was threatened with arrest if he didn’t stop.

On Saturday, he downplayed the conflict.

“There are no problems between the American Legion and UMF,” Bennett said. “We are just putting our 2 cents in.”

He said that the main goal of the rally was to honor the flag and support the troops.

“It’s a good idea to affirm respect for the flag,” said John Frary. “I do not advocate firing the president of UMF, but I think it’s useful to remind people to respect our flag.” Frary called the flag project shallow sensationalism.”

The rally was purposely held on the same day as the UMF graduation ceremony. About 30 protesters held American flags and saluted as the “Pledge of Allegiance” was played from a vehicle across the street.

Mabel Cox, Americanism chairwoman of the Farmington Emblem Club and the wife of a U.S. Air Force veteran said, “I don’t see how anyone can disable our flag that way. I feel that the college showed poor judgment in allowing it to happen.”

The rally attracted passersby and occasional honks of support from drivers. Traffic stopped a few times in the middle of Main Street so people could take pictures of the people holding their flags.

Collis Ames, a local resident who watched the rally from Dunkin’ Donuts across the street, said he was in high school when the Korean War broke out in 1950.

“I was taken out of school to fight,” he said. “I have all the respect in the world for our flag and there are no excuses – it should not be on the floor.”

State Sen. Walter Gooley of Farmington said it was appropriate for the rally to be held on the same day as the graduation ceremony.

“I’ve had hundreds of calls, e-mails and letters about what happened at UMF,” Gooley said. “I even had a current UMF student call and say that she won’t be going back to UMF. There are a lot of strong feelings about this.”