In the case of Texas v. Johnson, decided in 1989, the Supreme Court addressed the issue of flag burning as a form of free speech. Gregory Lee Johnson was arrested for burning the American flag during a protest at the 1984 Republican National Convention in Dallas, Texas. He argued that his actions were protected under the First Amendment. The Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision that burning the flag is a form of symbolic speech and is protected by the First Amendment. The Court emphasized that the government cannot prohibit expression simply because it is offensive or disagreeable to some.