An Oregon mall has backpedaled on enforcing its decoration policy that would have forced a military veteran to remove American flags from an amusement ride in the shopping center.

Last month, management at the Clackmas Town Center told Thomas Phelps his flags on a kiddie train were "unapproved visuals" and had to be removed.

"I may be fired, I may be thrown out of the mall, but I am not taking it down," Phelps said after getting the notice. "I hope people rally around this really. There are certain things that people should just stop and say it's wrong."

And people did rally. Sunday, news of the ordeal spread quickly on Facebook and Twitter.

Later that day, the mall changed its mind and said Phelps and his flags could stay.

"We honor, support, and respect what the United States flag represents. The actions and letter that were communicated certainly did not convey that. And for this, we apologize," a Clackmas Town Center statement said.

"The U.S. flag will remain displayed at the kiddie train and in other locations within the mall," management continued. "We wholeheartedly support those who fight to allow us and everyone else to display the flag."

Phelps said he put the flags on the train to honor "all those people that daily put their lives on the line for us" and to "reinforce values to our children."