May 16, 2025
A U.S. District Judge has granted a preliminary injunction allowing a controversial drag performance to proceed in full view of children during a June 7 "Pride" festival at Cambier Park in Naples, Florida. The decision follows a lawsuit from Naples Pride and the ACLU, which challenged the city's earlier vote to move the show indoors and restrict attendance to adults only. Liberty Counsel, a nonprofit legal organization, had filed a motion on behalf of concerned parents to prevent the outdoor performance near a children’s playground, citing Florida’s “Protection of Children Act,” which prohibits sexually explicit performances in view of minors.
Despite photographic evidence from a previous Naples Pride event showing explicit drag acts near the same playground, the court sided with the plaintiffs, deeming the show protected under the First Amendment. The judge denied Liberty Counsel’s motion to intervene, stating it was not filed in time, though he left open the possibility of their involvement later in the case. Liberty Counsel expressed disappointment, arguing that the most compelling legal defenses were not presented by the city. They plan to continue efforts to intervene and uphold both parental rights and state law, asserting that children should not be subjected to sexually explicit performances in public spaces.
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SOURCE: Christian Broadcasting Network