Nikita Dragun arrest sparks outrage as transgender influencer held in male prison
YouTube: Nikita DragunTransgender influencer Nikita Dragun was arrested following an incident at a Miami hotel and was reportedly being held in a male prison, sparking outrage online.
Nikita Dragun is a popular influencer who has been open about her experiences as a transgender woman in her content throughout the years.
Dragun is best known for her beauty videos on YouTube, where she boasts over 3 million subscribers, as well as her work as a model. She has over 9 million followers on Instagram.
On November 8, it was reported that Dragun was arrested on charges of felony battery on a police officer, misdemeanor disorderly conduct, and misdemeanor battery following an incident where she allegedly appeared nude at a public pool and threw water on both security guards and police officers.
Although Nikita had posted a video of herself being arrested to Instagram a few days prior to these reports, the influencer hasn’t spoken publicly on the matter at the time of writing — but her arrest has sparked a conversation online.
In an arrest affidavit obtained by the Daily Dot from the Miami-Dade Police Department, Dragun was reportedly listed as a male and is referred to using he/him pronouns.
That’s not all; a viral video is circulating Twitter showing a conversation between Dragun and judge Mindy Glazer during her hearing on Tuesday, with the influencer asking if she “has to stay here in the men’s unit still.”
Judge Glazer responded that she “doesn’t make the rules” at the facility and told Dragun to contact a bondsman to make separate accommodations for her.
The tweet has garnered over 9,000 likes at the time of publishing and has sparked a heated conversation online, with the poster calling Dragun’s situation “f*cking inhumane.”
“I’m not a fan of Nikita, but this is a violation of human rights and her safety,” they wrote.
“This is not okay,” a commenter replied.
“This is so vile, and the scary part is, Nikita is one of many,” another said.
Nikita Dragun’s publicist claims influencer has been released from prison
According to reports from TMZ and Local 10, Dragun has since been released from prison, as told by a statement from the influencer’s publicist, Jack Ketsoyan.
“The situation with Nikita, who is legally female, being placed in a men’s unit of a Florida jail is extremely disturbing and dangerous,” Ketsoyan stated.
“This decision made by the Miami-Dade County Corrections Department directly violates their protocol, which mandates that transgender inmates are classified and housed based on safety needs and gender identity. Nikita has been released and is now safe. Thank you for respecting her privacy during this time.”
