St. Paul bans TikTok creator
St. Paul has barred TikTok creator Josh Liljenquist from city parks, with officials alleging he 'routinely' harassed people at Pig’s Eye Park while he says the ban surprised him. The city framed the action as a response to repeated conduct captured during his filming activities. (axios.com)
St. Paul has banned TikTok creator Josh Liljenquist from every city park for 180 days, accusing him of disrupting Pig’s Eye Park. (kare11.com) In an April 6 letter, Parks and Recreation Director Andy Rodriguez said staff from parks operations, the Department of Safety and Inspections, and the St. Paul Police Department reported repeated problems. The ban took effect immediately and runs through October 3, 2026. (kare11.com) (interactive.kare11.com) Rodriguez wrote that Liljenquist “routinely” went to Pig’s Eye Park “to harass, record and profit from vulnerable adults” without their permission. The letter also said city staff documented plans for an unlicensed April 11 event at the park. (interactive.kare11.com) Liljenquist told Axios he was “blindsided” and denied the allegations. He said he was in Florida on a family vacation starting April 8, had not planned an April 11 event, and “very rarely” films at Pig’s Eye Park. (axios.com) The case lands in a longer Twin Cities argument over creators who film charity. Liljenquist has built a large audience by buying food and supplies and giving them to unhoused people on camera. (axios.com) (startribune.com) KARE 11 reported Liljenquist has 10.8 million TikTok followers and 6.4 million Instagram followers. Axios and the Star Tribune both reported outreach workers have argued that filmed giveaways can exploit people in crisis and create tension when crowds gather for food. (kare11.com) (axios.com) (startribune.com) The city has said little beyond confirming the letter. Parks spokesperson Clare Cloyd told Axios the ban is legitimate and said the department would not comment further because it is still an active process. (axios.com) Liljenquist and his supporters are pushing back in public. He started a petition asking St. Paul to reconsider, saying he gets consent before filming, blurs faces when people do not want to appear, and wants a path to keep working within park rules. (kare11.com) (change.org) Under the city’s notice, he can request a hearing with the parks director, and violating the ban could bring a misdemeanor charge. For now, the dispute over who gets to film help in public spaces has moved from TikTok to City Hall. (interactive.kare11.com)
