Sep 17, 2012 02:03 PM EDT
Walmart Apologizes to Kids After Store Refuses to let School Choir Sing ‘God Bless America’

Walmart apologized to a school choir after a store manager in Florida refused to let them sing "God Bless America" inside the store, as a tribute to the victims of 9/11.

The store, located at Pines & Flamingo in Pembroke Pines, had previously given its approval for the choir to sing, according to Coconut Palm Elementary School Principal Terri Thelmas.

When the children and their parents arrived on Wednesday night however, the manager told them they were a "liability" and refused to let them perform.

Disappointed, the group of 75 students and their audience instead went out to the parking lot to perform the 1-minute piece.

As the parents and their children were heading back to their cars, police was called to the scene responding to reports of a "flash mob," according to Fox News.

In a statement, a spokeswoman for Walmart later wrote, "We regret this happened and apologize to the students, the parents, and the school for this experience. Unfortunately this was a situation of miscommunication and should have been handled differently. We are inviting the kids back to the store to help honor the victims and fallen heroes."

According to the Christian Science Monitor, Thelmas believe the students will have no problem forgiving Walmart for the incident. "I know the children, and they forgive easily," she said.

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