Americans are split on whether burning a flag at a peaceful protest is protected speech
Core finding
Verasight surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults from September 25 to 30, 2026. 46.4% of Americans think burning a U.S. flag at a nonviolent protest is protected free speech, 38.6% think it isn't and 15.0% aren't sure.
The question describes burning a U.S. flag during a nonviolent political protest. It asks what people believe, not what courts have ruled.
Topline distribution
Americans are split on whether burning a flag at a peaceful protest is protected speech.
Regardless of whether or not you believe it should be legal, is burning a U.S. flag during a non-violent political protest considered protected free speech?
n = 1,000 · Sep 25–30, 2026 · MoE ±3.3%
Methodology
Full methodology →| Mode | Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting |
|---|---|
| Population | US adults age 18+ |
| Field dates | Sep 25–30, 2026 |
| Base (unweighted) | 1,000 |
| Margin of error | ±3.3% |
| Module | Society, Culture, & Identity |
| Sponsor | Verasight |
| Weight variable | weight |
| Weighting targets | age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status |
Sources
- reports.verasight.io/r/2026-153-apsa-omnibus-report
Regardless of whether or not you believe it should be legal, is burning a U.S. flag during a non-violent political protest considered protected free speech?
Cite this question
APSA Omnibus Survey #2026-153, fielded September 25-30, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.3%.