In the midst of a legal dispute concerning a pro-LGBT group’s intention to host an all-ages outdoor drag show in Naples, Florida, a federal judge appointed by Clinton has denied an urgent request to stay a preliminary injunction pending appeal.
Earlier this month, Judge John Steele from the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida granted a preliminary injunction preventing the city from stopping the drag performance from taking place outdoors at Cambier Park and forbidding the enforcement of an age restriction for attendees.
Then this week, Steele slapped down a bid to stay his preliminary injunction.
The Naples PrideFest, free for children under 12, is set for June 7 and will feature a drag performance, according to Naples Pride’s website.
According to a legal challenge lodged last month by Naples Pride, the city council voted 5-2 to issue a permit for the event, “but only on the conditions that (1) the drag performance take place indoors at the Norris Center; and (2) no one under 18 be admitted to the drag performance, even if accompanied by an adult parent or guardian.”
“Drag performances are a protected form of expression — period,” Naples Pride spokesperson Callhan Soldavini noted in a statement the organization provided to Fox News Digital. “The district court’s decision is thoughtful, well-reasoned, and firmly rooted in longstanding constitutional principles. Naples Pride will continue to stand for free speech and the rule of law, which safeguards the rights of all people.”
