A federal judge has approved a preliminary injunction against the city of Naples, Florida, that will allow the annual Naples Pride event to host outdoor drag performances viewable by people of all ages. The judge also ruled that the city must re-evaluate the $36,000 security permit fee that it tried to charge the event to protect it from anti-transgender protestors.
Last month, organizers of Naples Pride sued the city government after the city tried to force the event to only admit adults over the age of 18 and tried to charge event organizers a $36,000 security fee. Organizers refused, stating that all drag performances will be family-friendly and that the security fee was much more than what’s required for similarly sized events or what Pride organizers were charged since the event started in 2017.
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Though Florida passed a drag ban in 2023, federal courts overturned it as an unconstitutional violation of free speech. Despite this, last year, Naples Pride held its drag performances indoors to comply with the city government’s demand, which limited the number of attendees to the Pride’s drag event.
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On Monday, Judge John E. Steele, a judge of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida appointed by President Bill Clinton, ruled that neither the city nor its police force can require the Pride event to move its drag show indoors. Steele also ruled that the city must reevaluate its $36,000 security permit fees.
The judge wrote that the city’s demands “
When Pride organizers sued, their attorney, Callie Soldavini, said that only about a dozen protesters showed up at last year’s Naples Pride events; the protesters were mostly non-violent, held public prayers, and quietly protested the event, one outlet reported.
The city’s attorneys argued that the $36,000 was needed so that local police could create “customized security plans based on risk factors.” They said that moving drag performances indoors was meant to address security concerns and potential threats rather than to limit the event’s free speech, WFTX reported.
In a response to the ruling, the city of Naples said, “Notwithstanding the Court’s decisions today, the City believes it has legal authority to grant special event permits on its property with reasonable conditions to ensure public safety. The City is currently evaluating the orders rendered today and will determine its next steps.”
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