On June 16, the United States District Court for the District of Utah granted Southern Utah Drag Stars (Drag Stars) a preliminary injunction, allowing them to host their family-friendly drag performance in a public venue. In late May, in partnership with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah Foundation, Inc., (ACLU of Utah), Jenner & Block filed a lawsuit on behalf of Mitski Avalōx and Drag Stars against the City of St. George for denying them a special event permit for their drag show, which was originally scheduled for April 28.
In the ruling, the court found that by denying Drag Stars a permit to host their drag event, the City of St. George likely violated their First Amendment rights.
“Public spaces are public spaces. Public spaces are not private spaces. Public spaces are not majority spaces. The First Amendment of the United States Constitution ensures that all citizens, popular or not, majority or minority, conventional or unconventional, have access to public spaces for public expression,” District Judge David Nuffer wrote in the order granting the preliminary injunction.
“We are very pleased that the court has decided to order the City of St. George to grant Southern Utah Drag Stars a special events permit to host their family-friendly drag show, and we will continue to fight to protect the fundamental First and Fourteenth Amendment rights that drag performers are entitled to,” said Partner Rémi Jaffré.
The Jenner & Block team is led by Rémi and Partner Jeremy Creelan, with assistance from Special Counsel Nathan Castellano, Associates Owen Keiter, Meredith Hurley, and Jocelyn Sitton, Law Clerk Sarah Purtill, and Paralegals Cheryl Olson and Grace Liberman.
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