Florida Student Suspended After Organizing 'Don't Say Gay' Protest

After staging a mass walkout in protest of Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill, a high school student has been suspended, Newsweek reported.

Flagler Palm Coast High School student Jack Petocz led over 500 students from his school in a walkout on Thursday that made national headlines. He also handed out 200 pride flags for students after being advised by the school's principal not to.

On social media Petocz said the demonstration served to protest the "homophobic and discriminatory legislation," which his school had approved.

"Over 500 students from my school joined thousands of other concerned youth statewide to demonstrate their constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of speech, freedom of expression, and freedom to protest," Petocz wrote. "Students waved pride flags and stood together, showing the politicians peddling bigotry that we will not be silenced."

The school reportedly permitted the demonstration but the attitude towards the rally reportedly took a turn as the event progressed.

Petocz said administrators began confiscating students' pride flags and attempted to remove them from campus. After encouraging students not to give into the school's seizure of their pride flags and to continue demonstrating, Petocz said he was told that he has been suspended indefinitely and escorted off campus.

"I am proud of who I am and I am proud of all of those protesting these regressive bills," Petocz said. "We must let our politicians know that no matter how hard they try, they cannot suppress our identities or silence our voices."

A spokesman for the Flagler County school district told the The Daytona Beach News-Journal that the district had allowed the students to walk out for 15 minutes, but the rally had gone on for longer than agreed.