St. Paul's parks department has lifted its ban against Chaska-based influencer Josh Liljenquist.

Why it matters: The six-month park ban sparked debate about the ethics of filming handouts to homeless people — the sort of "kindness content" that has drawn Liljenquist 10.8 million followers on TikTok.

Catch up quick: City officials on April 6 said Liljenquist "routinely" visited the large encampment in Pig's Eye Park to "harass, record and profit from vulnerable adults residing there without said individuals' permission."

• Liljenquist often visits the encampment, but said he rarely films there and gets permission from his subjects when he does.

The latest: In a letter yesterday, parks director Andy Rodriguez told Liljenquist he was lifting the ban "based on evaluation of the facts of this situation as they were relayed during your appeal."

What they're saying: The ban's reversal "doesn't really fix anything. The damage is done," Liljenquist said in an interview with Axios.

• "It just sucks that [city officials] didn't do a good job at fact-checking."

The other side: Spokesperson Clare Cloyd said the parks department's goal is to "balance safety, respect, and public access in our parks while working toward sustainable and dignified solutions for people who are experiencing homelessness."

The big picture: Some traditional outreach workers believe Liljenquist doesn't fully grasp the power dynamics of his work, and fear that some of his subjects agree to be filmed out of desperation for handouts.

• Liljenquist counters that most of his charity takes place off-camera.

Axios asked Liljenquist about this criticism, pointing to the jealousies Liljenquist notices when he gives to one resident but not another, or when people find out how much revenue his crowdfunding efforts can generate.

• Liljenquist said that he's responding to urgent needs: "Not everybody needs stuff at that point in time. Say somebody doesn't have a tent or is sleeping outside — I want to give them a tent so they at least have a tent to sleep."

Axios spoke with a handful of encampment residents who encountered Liljenquist. Axios agreed to withhold their full names for their privacy and safety.

One resident, Ian, considers Liljenquist "a dear friend" who means well.

• He also speculates the city's ban actually stemmed from officials' embarrassment at the sprawling encampment Liljenquist's videos sometimes show.

Yes, but: "The only problem I've ever had with Josh is like, man, do this s*** out of genuineness," Ian added — "because you want to, not because you have to."

• "How much clout do you really get, bro, for making a video of this f***ing dude handing me a two-man tent?"

"I look at him like a brother," said another resident, Isaac, in a private video testimonial that Liljenquist shared.

• Axios found Isaac, and he stood by Liljenquist and the recorded message, blaming the ban on camp rumors.

What we're watching: Whether the episode triggers lawsuits from Liljenquist against the city, or against rival creators who took the city's claims at face value.

• Liljenquist said news of the ban dinged his brand, prompting the cancellations of several appearances.

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🚔 A shooting in Edina left one person dead, prompting the lockdown of businesses at Southdale mall and M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital after police said suspects fled the scene. (Fox 9)

🚷 Edina's City Council halted planning for a $20 million tunnel under France Avenue after receiving strong community pushback. (KSTP)

🔎 A city audit found lapses in Minneapolis police's response to two high-profile cases: the non-fatal shooting of Davis Moturi and the killing of domestic violence victim Allison Lussier. (MPR News)

🎤 The Utah university where Charlie Kirk was killed has canceled a commencement speech by Duluth author Sharon McMahon after receiving conservative backlash over her social media posts following the shooting. (New York Times via Star Tribune)

Prediction market Kalshi has suspended Democratic U.S. House candidate Matt Klein after he wagered $50 that he would win his primary race.

Why it matters: The trade violated the platform's rules against insider trading.

The intrigue: The Mendota Heights state senator currently chairs a committee that oversees sports betting, and also co-authored legislation that would severely restrict prediction markets like Kalshi in Minnesota.

What happened: In a statement, Klein said the October 2025 transaction was the first and only trade he's ever placed on a prediction market: "I was curious about how it worked."

• Klein paid a $539 fine and cooperated with an investigation, Kalshi said.

What they're saying: "This was a mistake, and I apologize," Klein said. "My experience, like many other Minnesotans, points to the need for clearer rules and regulations for these types of markets."

• Klein faces state Rep. Kaela Berg and former state Sen. Matt Little in the 2nd Congressional District primary.

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The Vikings hold the 18th pick in tonight's NFL Draft and most of the pundits think they'll select Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman.

Why it matters: Only one other NFL team has a worse draft record than the Vikings since 2022, according to ESPN's Kevin Seifert.

• That's a big reason why the team fired general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in January.

What they're saying: De facto football boss Rob Brzezinski, who has been with the team for 27 years, says the Vikes will use a "best player available" approach and focus less on trying to fill holes.

• That would open the door to some other possibilities, like Thieneman's teammate Kenyon Sadiq, an athletic tight end, or a wide receiver.
• They also have some pressing needs at defensive tackle, center and cornerback.

Details: The draft starts at 7pm but the Vikings aren't likely to pick until around 9pm.

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