Is It Illegal To Burn the American Flag?

American flag
It is currently not illegal to burn the American flag in the United States.
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Sources

  1. https://www.oyez.org/cases/1968/5
    Oyez provides authoritative summaries of Supreme Court cases, including Street v. New York, which is directly referenced in the blog post as a key case protecting verbal expression about the flag under the First Amendment.
  2. https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/491/397
    Cornell Law School's Legal Information Institute offers the full text of the Texas v. Johnson Supreme Court decision, which is central to the blog post's argument that flag burning is protected symbolic speech.
  3. https://www.aclu.org/other/flag-burning-qa
    The ACLU's Q&A on flag burning provides a clear, authoritative explanation of the legal status of flag desecration in the U.S., aligning with the blog post's discussion of First Amendment protections.
  4. https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/boundvolumes/496bv.pdf
    The official Supreme Court website provides the full text of United States v. Eichman, the case that struck down the Flag Protection Act, which is discussed in the blog post as a failed attempt to outlaw flag burning.
  5. https://www.congress.gov/bill/101st-congress/house-bill/2978
    Congress.gov provides the official text and legislative history of the Flag Protection Act of 1989, which the blog post mentions as a congressional attempt to ban flag desecration that was later ruled unconstitutional.

Key Points

  • Flag desecration, defacing, and burning is protected speech under the First Amendment in the U.S.
  • The Supreme Court ruled in Street v. New York (1969) that verbal contempt toward the flag is protected speech.
  • Spence v. Washington (1970) upheld that altering a flag as protest is protected expression.
  • Texas v. Johnson (1989) established flag burning as protected symbolic speech under the First Amendment.
  • Congress passed the Flag Protection Act in 1989, but it was struck down as unconstitutional in U.S. v. Eichman (1990).
  • State laws banning flag desecration are unconstitutional due to federal protections for free speech.
  • While flag burning is legal, individuals can still face charges for property damage or vandalism related to the act.
  • Popular and governmental support for outlawing flag burning has waned over time.
  • Protesters engaging in flag burning should seek legal counsel if arrested for related offenses.
  • The Supreme Court has consistently ruled that acts of protest, including flag burning, are protected under the First Amendment.

Summary

Flag burning and desecration are protected forms of free speech under the First Amendment, as upheld by Supreme Court rulings like *Texas v. Johnson* (1989) and *U.S. v. Eichman* (1990). Despite repeated attempts by Congress and states to outlaw it, courts have consistently struck down such laws, affirming that symbolic protest is constitutionally protected. However, flag burners may still face legal consequences if their actions involve property damage or other violations unrelated to free speech.

Flag desecration, defacing, and burning is not illegal in the United States and it is largely considered to be protected speech according to the First Amendment.

While it is thought of as offensive by some, so long as the act of burning the United States flag does not harm another person, it remains a legal expression of free speech.

Many attempts have been made to outlaw and prohibit flag burning, but it remains a protected right under the law.

A History of Flag Burning Prosecutions in the 20th Century

In the 1960s, a World War II veteran named Sydney Street was arrested after making critical remarks about the American flag in response to news that someone else had burned one.

Supreme Court building
The Supreme Court overturned Street’s conviction for making disparaging comments about the flag, not for desecrating it.

 

He was convicted under a New York law prohibiting contemptuous speech about the flag. The Supreme Court overturned that conviction in Street v. New York (1969), ruling that the First Amendment protected his verbal expression.

Street v. New York – striking down New York state law

Although Street did not burn a flag himself, the Supreme Court ruled that expressing contempt toward the flag through speech was protected under the First Amendment.

In the case of Street v. New York, the State of New York had a law on its books that made it a crime to desecrate the United States flag.

Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights is made up of the first 10 amendments to the United States Constitution.

This law was at the heart of the case against Street and was considered in opposition to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution in a Supreme Court decision. 

The Supreme Court struck down the application of the New York law in this case because it punished spoken words, not actions, which are clearly protected by the First Amendment.

Spence v. Washington – overturning the Washington State Supreme Court

In 1970, a student named Harold Omand Spence at the University of Washington hung an upside-down American flag with peace symbols taped to it to protest the murders of Kent State students by the Ohio National Guard.

While Spence was convicted of altering an American flag, the Supreme Court ultimately ruled that his act of protest counted as a protected act of expression.

University of Washington
University of Washington.

This ruling overturned a previous Washington State Supreme Court ruling that made defacing an American flag an offense.

Texas v. Johnson – upholding freedom of speech

In 1984, United States citizen Gregory Lee Johnson burned an American flag outside of the Republican National Convention in Dallas to protest the policies of then-president Ronald Reagan.

He was arrested and convicted of defacing a flag, but the conviction was later overturned in the case Texas v. Johnson and his burning of the flag was considered “symbolic speech“.

This meant that although this was an act of protest and not written or spoken words, the act itself was considered protected speech.

American flag
Burning the flag is deemed as symbolic speech and is therefore protected under the 1st Amendment.

In spite of state-level attempts to outlaw the act of burning or defacing an American flag, both the United States Supreme Court and also popular opinion are aligned – flag burning should remain as both protected speech and protected protest.

The Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled to protect acts of protest as expressions of free speech.

Each of these rulings has affirmed that burning or defacing the American flag is considered an act of protest and is therefore a right according to the First Amendment.

Attempts To Make Flag Burning Illegal in the 20th Century

Congress has tried numerous times to prohibit American citizens from desecrating or defacing the American flag, but the Supreme Court has consistently sided with American citizens and has overruled these attempts.

United States Congress
Congress has tried and failed on several occasions to make it illegal to desecrate the flag.

According to the Supreme Court rulings, the right to free speech, the act of protest, and the expression of an idea supersedes any other citizen’s perception of an act as offensive.

This right, however, is neither permanent nor guaranteed and there have been many attempts to prohibit flag burning at the federal level.

The Flag Protection Act

Following the case of Texas v. Johnson in the 1980s, Congress initially passed the Flag Protection Act which would have prosecuted anyone who defaced or damaged an American flag.

This act was later struck down by the Supreme Court in U.S. v. Eichmann, which ruled it as unconstitutional. Congress would continue to attempt to pass flag protection laws without success over the next two decades.

Congressional attempts to outlaw flag burning

The House of Representatives has repeatedly tried to pass measures to render flag burning illegal, but it has run into opposition in the Senate where it has continually failed to earn the two thirds majority necessary for passing any law.

Gavel
Attempts by the House to pass laws making it illegal to burn the flag have run into opposition in the Senate.

It should also be noted that while amendments to prohibit flag burning have come to the floor for a vote in the House and have passed in the House many times, the margins for passing have been steadily shrinking since the 1990s.

While it is possible that Congress could try again to pass laws against flag burning, the attempts to outlaw flag burning are less and less popular with the population at large.

Popular support for flag burning legislation has continued to wane in recent years, with many Americans acknowledging that freedom of expression comes before their distaste for individual acts of protest.

How Legal Is It To Burn an American Flag?

While the direct burning of an American flag is still technically legal, any person can still be charged with other offenses.

If, for example, the burning of a flag also results in damage to private or public property, this could result in a charge of vandalism, even if vandalism was not the intent.

American flag burning
Anyone who damages public or private property as a result of burning the flag is liable to prosecution.

A business could also in theory take someone to civil court for violating their property rights due to damage arising from a burning flag on their premises.

These arrests and convictions may be used as a way to skirt the rulings that flag burning is protected speech, though it is unclear if this would act as a deterrent.

Protest is a long-held American tradition, and many American citizens are reluctant to overturn centuries of tradition, even if they may disagree over the methods of protest.

Interest in prohibiting flag burning continues to wane at the governmental level. Some of these arrests and convictions may be legitimate if the charge is not about burning the flag.

Though there are many legal protections for burning an American flag, any citizen engaging in this form of protest should seek legal counsel should their act of protest result in an arrest or conviction.

Yes. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that flag burning is a form of protected symbolic speech under the First Amendment. This was established in Texas v. Johnson (1989) and reaffirmed in United States v. Eichman (1990).

In Texas v. Johnson (1989), Gregory Lee Johnson was arrested for burning a U.S. flag during a protest outside the Republican National Convention. The Supreme Court ruled 5–4 that his actions were protected speech, as they were expressive conduct intended to convey a political message.

The Flag Protection Act of 1989 was passed by Congress after Texas v. Johnson to criminalize flag desecration. However, it was struck down as unconstitutional in United States v. Eichman (1990). Therefore, the law is no longer in effect.

No. The Supreme Court has ruled that state laws banning flag desecration are unconstitutional if they punish individuals for expressive conduct. Federal constitutional protections for speech override state legislation in this area.

Yes, but not for the flag burning itself if it’s expressive conduct. However, they may be held civilly liable or criminally charged for violating property rights, committing vandalism, or posing a fire hazard.

Is It Illegal To Burn the American Flag? Quiz

Can states pass their own laws banning flag desecration?
What was the outcome of the Texas v. Johnson case?
What was the Supreme Court's ruling in Spence v. Washington?
What has been the trend in public support for flag burning laws in recent years?
Why did the Supreme Court overturn Sydney Street's conviction in Street v. New York?
Was the Flag Protection Act ever enforced?
What did the Flag Protection Act of 1989 aim to do?
Is flag burning considered protected speech in the United States?
Which Supreme Court case established that flag burning is protected speech?
What could someone be charged with if burning a flag damages property?

Frequently Asked Questions

Is burning the American flag legal in the United States?

Yes, burning the American flag is legal in the United States. The Supreme Court has ruled it as protected symbolic speech under the First Amendment, as established in cases like Texas v. Johnson (1989) and United States v. Eichman (1990).

What was the significance of the Texas v. Johnson case?

Texas v. Johnson (1989) was a landmark Supreme Court case where Gregory Lee Johnson burned a flag in protest. The Court ruled 5–4 that flag burning is a form of expressive conduct protected by the First Amendment, reinforcing free speech rights.

Has Congress ever tried to ban flag burning?

Yes, Congress passed the Flag Protection Act in 1989 to criminalize flag desecration, but it was struck down as unconstitutional in United States v. Eichman (1990). Subsequent attempts to ban flag burning have failed due to First Amendment protections.

Can someone be prosecuted for burning a flag on private property?

While flag burning itself is protected speech, individuals may face legal consequences if their actions violate property rights, cause vandalism, or pose a fire hazard. However, they cannot be prosecuted solely for burning the flag as an act of protest.

Do state laws against flag desecration override federal protections?

No. The Supreme Court has ruled that state laws banning flag desecration are unconstitutional if they punish expressive conduct. Federal First Amendment protections take precedence over state-level restrictions.

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