In March 2020, Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz’s administration implemented a hotline encouraging people to snitch on their neighbors who weren’t following the government’s COVID lockdown orders.
The hotline generated thousands of reports – against people playing basketball, walking their dogs, or attending church, local outlet Alpha News reported in 2022. Walz’s administration continued to monitor the hotline until November 2020, though it remained operational until June 2022.
In one example of a complaint, someone alerted authorities to a church service that wasn’t following Walz’s “legal requirements,” the outlet noted.
“I am aware that the apostolic Lutheran church at [address] is planning to hold church services oct 2-4th [sic]. Hundreds are expected And [sic] they will be serving meals in the church dining hall. I don’t believe this fits with legal requirements and I am. Aware [sic] that multiple families that attend this church currently have coronavirus.”
People also called in lists of “non-essential” businesses that remained open or didn’t strictly follow government masking requirements.
A recording of the hotline circulating online reveals a prerecorded message telling callers they have reached the “Office of Public Safety Stay At Home Hotline.”
“The information you leave is considered public information,” it continued. “At the tone, please leave the following information: your name, your callback number, how the stay-at-home order is being violated, and where the stay-at-home order was violated.”
Tim Walz Covid Snitch Line
If my account is remembered for anything let it be this.
Just like socialism, this is Tim Walz’s idea of being neighborly.
It’s one thing to read about it. It’s another to hear it. pic.twitter.com/4Xu9NlugvS
— CiceroMN (@cicero_mn) August 6, 2024
The hotline flew in the face of the message Gov. Walz sent in 2023 regarding LGBT issues.
“In Minnesota, we mind our own damn business,” Walz said in a post on X.
In Minnesota, we mind our own damn business.
We don’t need you in the exam room. We don’t need you telling us who we can love. And we sure don’t need you attacking our teachers, students, and schools.
— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) August 10, 2023
He was immediately met with responses from people pointing out the snitch hotline.
In addition to calling in tips, people could also email complaints. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) noted to Alpha News that about 10,000 COVID-related emails were sent, many of which were spam.
According to the outlet, in one email someone reported “a very large gathering of a pick up basketball game with a lot of observers that easily totaled 30+.”
