Free Nadine Smith Now!

I sent the following statement to the National Lavender Green Caucus today in response to the arrest of LGBT civil rights leader Nadine Smith in Largo City, FL:

The National Lavender Green Caucus of the Green Party of the United States calls on the Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney's office to drop all charges against civil rights leader and Equality Florida executive director Nadine Smith.

Smith was arrested during a debate at the Largo City Commission after the city voted 5-2 in favor of firing 14 year city manager veteran Steve Stanton after he announced his transition from male to female. Nadine was arrested and treated roughly by police after she distributed a flier which read "Don't Discriminate" to a citizen attending the council meeting at that citizen's request.

"Nadine Smith is a role model, she is a friend, and she is a fierce advocate for liberation and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals. She was executing her constitutionally protected rights of free speech and assembly and was the victim of police brutality and old school COINTELPRO style false charges in her arrest," said former Chair of the National Lavender Green Caucus, Brandon Lacy Campos.

Smith is the only woman of color to lead a statewide LGBT organization in the United States, and she has been recognized in Florida and nationally for her work as Equality Florida's executive director.

The National Lavender Green Caucus, the national voice of LGBTQ Greens, applauds Nadine Smith for her constant work against gender identity discrimination and stands with her and her family. The Caucus recognizes that this is a hate motivated action on the part of the Largo police department and the Largo City Commission and asks that Greens and allies across the country contact the Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney's office and the Florida Attorney General's Office and demand swift action to release Ms. Smith and drop the felony count of resisting arrest and the misdemeanor count of interrupting a commission meeting immediately.