It is not illegal to flip off a police officer in Washington. The gesture—commonly known as giving the middle finger—is considered a form of expression protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Courts, including the federal Court of Appeals, have repeatedly affirmed that this kind of vulgarity, while rude or disrespectful, does not provide legal grounds for arrest, citation, or a police stop based solely on the gesture itself.
However, this protection has limits. If the gesture is accompanied by other actions that disturb the peace, create a dangerous situation, or interfere with police duties, it could lead to disorderly conduct or similar charges. For instance, if flipping off a cop escalates into a confrontation, blocks police from performing their job, or is combined with threatening or aggressive behavior, law enforcement may have justification for arresting you under Washington’s disorderly conduct statutes. Simply giving the finger alone, without additional disruptive behavior, does not meet this threshold.
Flipping off a cop in Washington is typically protected speech, but it is unwise to escalate the interaction, as actions beyond the gesture could lead to legal trouble
Sources
[1] https://www.yahoo.com/news/trouble-giving-middle-finger-washington-183658111.html
[2] https://www.wirthlawoffice.com/tulsa-attorney-blog/2021/04/can-i-legally-flip-off-the-police
[3] https://www.shubinlaw.com/flipping-off-police-officers-constitutional-federal-court-affirms/
[4] https://www.aol.com/trouble-giving-middle-finger-washington-183658158.html
[5] https://collincountymagazine.com/2025/07/15/is-it-illegal-to-flip-off-a-cop-in-washington-heres-what-the-law-says/
