Naples council unanimously authorizes appeal of preliminary injunction in drag-event lawsuit

The Naples City Council on May 16 unanimously authorized the city attorney’s office to work with the city manager and the mayor to assemble legal representation to appeal a federal court’s preliminary injunction related to a planned public drag performance at Cambier Park.

The Council’s action, made as a motion by Council Member Bill Kramer and seconded by Council Member Raymond Christmann, “authorize[s] the city attorney's office to work with the city manager and the mayor to assemble the appropriate legal representation to appeal the preliminary injunction,” and explicitly authorized the mayor to execute retainer agreements for firms that “may include the Alliance Defending Freedom or Becket or a private firm,” according to the motion. The clerk recorded the vote as unanimous.

The move follows an executive session called under Florida Statute Section 286.011(8) at which the council considered the case identified in court filings as Naples Pride v. City of Naples (case no. 2025-CV-00291-JES-KCD), United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, Fort Myers Division. City Attorney Matthew McConnell announced the session and said the court-reporter transcript for the executive session will be filed with the city clerk. A public notice of the executive session…