Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti wants citizens to rat out businesses that are violating the “safer at home” order.
“If any non-essential businesses continue to operate in violation of the stay at home order, we’re going to act to enforce the safer at home order and ensure their compliance,” he said.
CBS News reports four businesses have been referred to the city attorney’s office for misdemeanor filings.
“You know the old expression about snitches, well in this case snitches get rewards,” Garcetti said. “We want to thank you for turning folks in and making sure we are all safe.”
The mayor deputized a number of city workers and ordered them to patrol the city and enforce the stay at home orders.
“Your decision to stay home may mean that there’s one less person who needs a ventilator we do not have,” Garcetti said. “And bringing case and death numbers down won’t just happen because of physical distancing and isolation, but also because of testing.”
The mayor is also urging every citizen to wear a mask.
“I know this looks surreal,” Garcetti said. “We’re going to have to get used to seeing each other like this … This will be the look.”
Los Angeles is basically getting a taste of fascism-lite.