The flag ban at an Albany apartment complex, which touched off national media attention since it was reported Friday in the Democrat-Herald, has been called off.

Barb Holcomb, the nonresident manager of the Oaks Apartments at 1440 Geary Circle S.E. called the the paper this morning and said, "I was wrong."

Flags and decals on tenants' vehicles are allowed effective immediately, she said.

The previous ban had been on all kinds of flags - including national flags and team pennants - in the interest of nondiscrimination and avoiding conflict among tenants. When it was brought to the attention of tenant Jim Clausen, who flies U.S. flags on his SUV and motorcycle in honor of veterans and his son in the service, he contacted the paper in protest.

The story generated angry comments across the country. In Oregon, several motorcycle groups still plan to demonstrate on the streets near the apartments at 11 a.m. Saturday, Skyler Knight of United Freedom Riders said today.

Stan Keller, a 71-year-old Navy veteran and owner of the apartments, said today his managers had been mistaken in applying the flag policy to vehicles. Tenants can have all the flags they want on their vehicles or in their windows, he said.

Mayor Sharon Konopa said Tuesday she had just received a "call from a gentleman from South Carolina upset over the Oaks Apartments not allowing vehicles in their parking lot to display the American flag. Evidently this person heard it on Rush Limbaugh."

In addition, city officials and the newspaper have received e-mails and telephone calls from people expressing their surprise and anger at the flag situation.

Some cited the federal Freedom to Display the American Flag Act of 2005, which "ensures that the right of an individual to display the flag of the United States on residential property not be abridged."

Holcomb said today she was reversing herself not because of any pressure to do so. Rather, "I had a conversation with Emily Cedarleaf of the Multi-Family Housing Council of Oregon, who said the policy was not legal," she said.

Cedarleaf, of Salem, who draws up and screens generic tenant contracts, said last week she had never heard of anyone trying to regulate what can be on a car in a parking lot.

Clausen said today: "I love the support I've been getting Everyone has had good things to say about what I was trying to do."

At 5:45 a.m. Wednesday morning he appeared live on a Portland television station.

Fox News also had a national segment on the issue Wednesday morning.