By LawInspectsWell, no, it is not actually illegal to flip off a cop right here in the United States. Though to some of you it may seem like an illegal thing, but somehow, it is just not. Like, sometimes it happens when you’re super annoyed with the cops and maybe are having a bad day, and the cops show up for some reason, like you breaking a red light signal or speeding, or anything like that. In such cases, if you think you’re not in the wrong and you flip off a cop, well, they won’t arrest you for that or charge you with anything for just that.
What the Law Says, Like, Can You Be Super Rude?
Well, we all know that the United States is a free country, and under the First Amendment of the Constitution, everybody has the right to free speech, correct? So the thing is, showing the middle finger to anyone also counts as the expression of free speech, and yes, even a cop can’t do anything about it.
The reason why it isn’t illegal is that courts all around the country say that this type of gesture isn’t a threatening or violent kind, so it is counted as an expression of free speech. So, it happens that sometimes you’re super annoyed, and even go on to show the middle finger to a cop, there is not much they can do about it. Even if they take some action against you in this situation, well, worry not, the law protects your right to be rude as well.
Super Real Court Cases: Yep, People Did It (And Won)
And the thing is, there actually have been some real cases where people flipped off cops and got arrested for doing that. But the outcome for these cases was actually in favour of the person who flipped off and got arrested. Almost all the time! You can quite literally find dozens of these cases, and in one such case, a big court in the country said that showing the middle finger to a cop isn’t a good reason to arrest someone.
Just like that, there are many cases where if someone is showing the middle finger to the cops while driving, the cops actually pull them over and arrest them, but when the matter arrived in court, the judges sided with the person who got arrested. That’s how it is. Though, when you’re flipping off the cop while driving, they can very well pull you over on suspicion of you being intoxicated. Just keep that in mind.
Why It’s Not So Smart to Flip Off a Cop
Well, no matter how legal this sounds, but still, it is still a bit rude to show anyone the middle finger. Like, cops are human too, we hope you understand that. So, whenever you’re a bit annoyed or angry, just take note of things that you should control your emotions.
Like, there is nothing legally wrong with flipping off a cop, but surely, once you do that, the cops might try harder to find something or look for something that is suspicious, and if they find it, you’re likely to be arrested by them.