U.S. court blocks Florida law restricting drag performances

A U.S. judge on Friday blocked a new Florida law restricting drag performances, the third time this month that federal courts have enjoined laws backed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis that concern gender or LGBTQ matters.

In all three cases, the issues supported by DeSantis, a Republican presidential candidate, lost on grounds that the laws appear to infringe on people’s constitutional rights.

In Friday’s decision, U.S. District Judge Gregory Presnell of the Middle District of Florida granted an injunction preventing the state from enforcing a law that bans minors from attending "obscene live performances," calling it too broad.

The judge refused to dismiss the law entirely, meaning the underlying lawsuit challenging it will go forward.

The governor’s office said the judge was “dead wrong” and predicted the state would win on appeal.