Thousands Rally to Support American Flag After Flag-Walking Anti-Racism Protest Incident in Georgia

A university in Georgia suspended classes on Friday as thousands held a rally to express support for the American flag after student demonstrators walked on an American flag to protest racism.

The rally at Valdosta State University, called Flags Over VSU, was in response to an earlier rally where the American flag was walked on by student demonstrators. The flag-walking demonstration involved three protesters, university spokesman Andy Clark said.

During the April 17 rally, Michelle Manhart, a former Air Force personnel, was seen in a video grabbing the flag from the protesters. She was arrested and briefly detained by the police after she refused to hand over the flag to the police.

Manhart was later issued a criminal trespass warning, essentially banning her from campus with a population of 11,500 students. She was not a student at Valdosta State, according to the school.

University administrators drew flak on social media after Manhart was issued the warning. Critics saw the university siding with the demonstrators who walked on the flag instead of a military veteran trying to save it.

Defending the university's action, Clark said the administrators "were protecting their right to free speech and civil liberties" without taking sides.

According to CBS affiliate WTEV, Manhart draped herself in the American flag in Playboy in 2007. She was reprimanded and quit the military in 2008.

Meanwhile, the police are looking for Eric Sheppard, one of the April 17 protesters, who reportedly owned a backpack where a handgun was found. The Valdosta State University Police found the backpack in the university property last April 21 when they were patrolling.

A judge has issued a warrant of arrest for Sheppard, who is now wanted and considered armed and dangerous.

Sheppard is facing charges of carrying weapons within a school safety zone, at school functions or on school property. His father, Eric Sr., pleaded with him to surrender.

University administrators said they were compelled to issue a class suspension order on Friday for safety and security reasons.

"That level of traffic and that many people will disrupt a lot of things in the city," Clark said. "We're from an overall safety perspective looking to close the campus down today so they can have a peaceful rally."