Flipping off a police officer in Georgia is not illegal by itself. Courts—including the Georgia Supreme Court—have consistently ruled that giving someone the middle finger is a form of constitutionally protected speech under the First Amendment and does not, on its own, constitute disorderly conduct or justify an arrest.
The Georgia Supreme Court specifically addressed this issue in 2017, overturning a conviction for disorderly conduct based solely on raising the middle finger, and clarified that the gesture alone is protected expression unless it is accompanied by threats, violence, or other unlawful actions.
Police cannot legally use this gesture as the sole reason to stop, detain, or arrest you. However, if flipping off a cop is combined with other behavior—such as threats, refusal to comply with lawful orders, or actions that disrupt public safety—then it could be used as evidence in support of charges like disorderly conduct, obstruction, or harassment. In summary, you have the right to flip off a police officer in Georgia, but doing so could escalate a situation if it leads to further problematic behavior.
Sources
[1] https://www.humanrightsdefensecenter.org/action/news/2024/it-illegal-give-police-middle-finger-georgia-law-very-clear-about-it-read-more-httpswwwmaconcomnewsstategeorgiaarticle289417840htmlstorylinkcpy/
[2] https://www.criminallegalnews.org/news/2017/nov/16/georgia-supreme-court-rules-flipping-bird-not-disorderly-conduct/
[3] https://bedlamlaw.com/is-flipping-off-a-cop-illegal/
[4] https://www.shubinlaw.com/flipping-off-police-officers-constitutional-federal-court-affirms/
[5] https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/wzsh70/is_it_illegal_to_flip_the_bird_as_a_motorist_in/
