Protest marches and demonstrations are occurring across the world – from streets, to big named college campuses to under developed countries and all over the place in between. Protesting groups often see such organized demonstrations as a means of energizing people who rely on the issue, carrying visibility to the cause and having the press to report about the issue and bring it away from obscurity. To bring harmony, unity and accord to the group’s complaints or beliefs they often seek out themes, slogans and images that will represent the whole group. Custom flags will often be viewed as the ideal symbol to demonstrate allegiance towards the cause and will be carried with the group when holding a rally.

One group which has gained a lot of attention lately for its protest flag is the Tea Party movement, a socio-political movement that’s favor of government conservatism. At protest, the group are frequently seen waving the Gadsen flag. A yellow flag featuring a coiled rattlesnake and the words “don’t tread on me.” The flag could be traced back to the Revolution era and for tea party members is viewed as a method of representing independence and unity, the same spirit linked to the original Boston Tea Party.

Members of the Tea Party along with other protest groups have also burned the nation’s flag as a means of showing dissent with governmental policies. Burning the American flag isn’t a fresh idea, however. In the Vietnam War era, flag burning was constantly done in an effort to complain about the war.

Besides the usage of flags by protesting groups, these flags themselves can spark a protest above the perceived meaning or message that the custom flag communicates. Take The Confederate flag for example; connected with slavery the flag has been restricted from some schools and sporting events. South Carolina, on the other hand, still displays the flag on its statehouse; such use has resulted in a lot of protests by the NAACP along with other groups who see it as a symbol of murder and oppression.