[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/09/06/art.flags.folded.jpg caption="A spokesman for the Democratic National Convention says these flags were not intended to be thrown out."]
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO (CNN)–Republicans kicked off a McCain/Palin rally in Colorado Springs with veterans handing out American flags they say were discarded after the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

Tom Kise –a spokesman for the McCain campaign in Colorado said a worker at Invesco field who wants to remain anonymous dropped off the flags to the McCain campaign this past week. He says there were 84 bags that amounted to roughly 12 thousand flags.

As thousands in the crowd waved flags, Senator McCain noticed them – saying “those flags look great” - but did not make direct mention of the flap.

Damon Jones, a spokesman for the Democratic Convention tells CNN “the story is false.”

He says the flags were bundled together, placed in bags and intended to be distrubited at Invesco. Jones says they “were removed without authorization”.

Updated with DNC response

In response to the accusations, DNC spokeswoman Karren Finney released the following statement:

"American flags were proudly waved by the 75,000 people who joined Barack Obama at the Democratic Convention. John McCain should applaud that, but instead his supporters wrongfully took leftover bundles of our flags from the stadium to play a cheap political stunt calling into question our patriotism. On the same day he agrees to join Barack Obama at Ground Zero on September 11, John McCain attacks the patriotism of Obama supporters who so proudly waved the American flag at our historic event in Denver just days ago."