More than 150 Minnesota bars, restaurants plan to reopen this week and could defy governor’s executive order

Gov. Tim Walz says he plans to announce Wednesday whether he will extend restrictions requiring restaurants and bars in Minnesota to close their dining areas.

A group of more than 150 business owners say they plan to reopen dine-in service no matter what the governor decides.

The group called ReOpen Minnesota is organizing a mass reopening event. They started a GoFundMe page to cover legal fees going up against the state.

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"We’re the underdogs that are going to win," Lisa Monet Zarza, owner of Alibi Drinkery in Lakeville said.

Zarza plans to open on Wednesday and violate the state order.

"We will battle," Zarza said. "This wasn’t, ‘hey we are going to open and hope they don’t come after us.’ I have been very vocal about it, come after us we’re ready to fight for Minnesota."

Walz now set to announce whether current COVID-19 restrictions will be extended on Wednesday

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison released a statement which said in part:

"Unfortunately, a small handful of businesses are defying the Governor’s executive order to keep restaurants closed for on-premises dining, unlike the vast majority that are respecting it. I get no happiness out of enforcing the order, but my duty to protect Minnesotans from the deadliest global pandemic in a century demands it."