Texas vs. Johnson
1989
Court Case:
Gregory Lee Johnson burned an American flag in front of the Dallas City Hall, in protest of the current Reagan administration policies. Johnson lost in Texas courts under a law that banned flag desecration, but was later reversed by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to conviction and the case was taken to the Supreme Court where they ruled a 5-4 decision in favor of Johnson. They argued that Johnson's protest was protected by his freedom of speech in the first amendment and because it was not harmful to others or himself it was deemed okay.
Limits of the First Amendment
Is the desecration of the American flag or other certain types of protests a form of speech that should be protected under the first amendment?
Precedent Set:
However offending one may be, if no harm comes and is done in peace, certain forms of protesting is deemed okay to do and protected by freedom of speech marked out in the first amendment.
Texas v Johnson Court Case Summary