Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) on Saturday denounced the burning of an American flag outside of her office this week, saying it "overshadowed" her calls for peaceful protests.

Defenders of the lawmaker rallied outside of her California office in South Los Angeles on Thursday after a far-right anti-government group promised to protest.

"While most of those counter-protesters remained peaceful, I have learned that there were others in attendance who were not necessary from the 43rd District, but who nevertheless participated as counter-porters not so much in support of me, but to seek press attention in furtherance of their own agendas," Waters said in a statement Saturday.

CBS News reported that some of the protesters ripped a flag off a passing truck and it was lit on fire.

"While I do not agree with torching the flag as a form of protest, I understand the Constitution guarantees everyone the right to this form of free expression," Waters said.

The Democrat said partisan news outlets have used the flag-burning to "exploit and overshadow" the other peaceful counter-protesters that were there to support her.

Waters had originally urged her supporters not to counter rally against the Oath Keepers, a far-right group associated with militia movements who are often armed. The group had planned to demonstrate against Waters on Thursday.

Supporters, however, did not take her advice and showed up on Thursday even though the Oath Keepers never did.

The Oath Keepers called Waters a "protest terrorist inciter," CBS News said.

Waters received backlash after she called for her supporters to confront members of the Trump administration in public. The president and many conservatives viewed her speech as a call for violence.

She later insisted that she has always called for peaceful and nonviolent protests.