The term symbolic speech is applied to a wide range of nonverbal communication. Many political activities, including marching, wearing armbands, and displaying or mutilating the U.S. flag, are considered forms of symbolic expression. This is similar to Tinker v. Des Moines Supreme Court Case. Children exercised their 1st amendment rights wearing armbands to school, thus using symbolic speech.
A symbolic speech is any type of speech that is nonverbal and is expressed through actions, gestures or symbols to convey a specific idea. This type of speech is very common when protesting an idea, although it can be expressed for any reason. Some examples are to wave or burn a flag, to wear certain cloth or accessories, to protest silently, to march, to kneel when singing the anthem, to be naked, to engage in a sit-in and to hold signs.
