CINCINNATI, Ohio – A graduate student at the University of Cincinnati is stirring controversy with “art” many believe disrespects the American flag and those who fought for the freedoms it represents.

Fine arts graduate student Harry Sanchez, Jr.’s class project is “designed to stimulate conversation about First Amendment issues,” a university spokesman told WCPO, and it seems to be doing exactly that.

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The two-piece display features an American flag hanging upside-down, and another wadded in a ball and hung by a noose.

“It’s not like an attack on anyone in particular,” Sanchez told the news site. “Our country is in distress. People have issues with each other. You can see the polarity with people, so one side or the other.”

His artwork is seemingly aggravating that situation.

Sanchez said he’s heard from some “people who have my back” and support his freedom of expression, and others who complained the “artwork” is disrespectful to the countless military veterans who fought and lost their lives to protect his First Amendment rights.

“I kind of feel like it’s almost offensive in a way,” UC student Kyle Apshago told Fox 19.

“Honestly, I think it’s disheartening to see … whoever made that feels that way about the country right now,” classmate Lucy Markovich said.

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Many, many others who came across the display at school and online agree.

“Someone really just called the police on my art!” Sanchez posted to Facebook, along with a picture of the display. “I’m so proud of myself.”

The backlash on the social media site was immediate, and fierce.

“Give the flag like that to someone that served this country,” Steven Walker posted. “You don’t have the balls asshole.”

“What a worthless piece of shit!” Jeremy Gaffney added. “Get a real job. Art isn’t your thing, trust me.”

“Your art is unimaginative and boring,” Jonathan Bingham wrote.

“People like you are why ‘art’ is dead,” Jerome Hall posted.

On campus, UC student Thomas Mooney, an Army veteran, expressed his thoughts on Sanchez’s “art” with some images of his own, taped up in a window near the flag display. The pictures featured caskets draped with Old Glory, as well as the graves of countless soldiers and images of Americans in combat during several different wars.

“It represents the sacrifice that so many people died for that freedom,” Mooney told WCPO.

“I want to be very adamant that I do support the freedom of speech and everyone is entitled to exercise that right,” he said. “I just wanted to remind the person who did this what the flag means to certain people …”

A UC spokesperson issued a statement to the news site about the American flag “art.”

“The display is part of an art class project by students, and it is designed to stimulate conversation about First Amendment freedoms,” the statement read. “The University of Cincinnati is a public institution and members of the public as well as members of the campus community may express their views, so long as they remain within university policy and state law.

“As a public institution, we maintain a public trust to protect the First Amendment.”