Anti-surveillance backlash grows as Flock cameras targeted across US (Video)

Opposition to Flock’s expanding network of AI-powered surveillance cameras is intensifying across the United States, with protests, political challenges and vandalism accompanying the rapid spread of the technology.

More than 130,000 Flock cameras are reportedly operating nationwide, with law enforcement agencies in at least 4,000 cities deploying the devices at intersections, car parks and other public locations. Flock Technologies promotes the system as a “crime-fighting tool” capable of helping police investigate burglaries, carjackings and murders, but privacy campaigners argue the increasingly extensive network enables intrusive monitoring of ordinary citizens.

Those concerns were given a theatrical airing at a San Diego City Council meeting on Wednesday, when a man dressed as Star Wars villain Darth Vader approached the microphone accompanied by the character’s distinctive mechanical breathing.

“The Emperor is a fan of Flock, and we must continue utilising Flock technologies so that we can surveil the rebel scum,” he told councillors, sarcastically claiming the cameras could follow people “from playground to playground” and suggesting children were also being captured by the surveillance network.

Flock is particularly known for its Falcon automated licence plate recognition (ALPR) cameras, which photograph vehicles as they pass. The company’s capabilities extend beyond number plates, however. Its Condor PTZ cameras can allow police to follow individuals across multiple camera locations using artificial intelligence and conduct searches based on descriptions of people.

Privacy concerns have been amplified by reports of misuse. The Washington Post reported earlier this month that more than 50 police officers had used Flock’s licence-plate system to search for women, including former wives and partners, for personal reasons. Separate security vulnerabilities have reportedly resulted in camera images, including footage involving children, being exposed online.

The Darth Vader protester highlighted those allegations with another sarcastic remark: “I need this so I can stalk my ex-girlfriend,” before joking that the technology could also be used to track Luke Skywalker.

Darth Vader comes out in favor of Flock cameras pic.twitter.com/YL3jaiwIEx

— Orwell Day (@OrwellDay) August 20, 2026

Flock’s large-scale expansion began around 2020, but resistance has accompanied the rollout. Cameras have reportedly been spray-painted, obstructed, cut from their mounts and shot at in various parts of the country. FlockStats, an independent website documenting incidents involving the devices, says at least 162 cameras have been destroyed nationwide.

Political scrutiny is also increasing across party lines. Republican Congressman Thomas Massie introduced legislation last month seeking to deny federal funding to police departments using the cameras, while Democratic Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has ordered municipalities to pause further Flock installations until new state privacy protections are developed.

The mounting resistance reflects a broader debate over how far AI-assisted policing should extend into public spaces, with supporters emphasising crime prevention while opponents warn that an interconnected camera network risks creating an infrastructure for mass surveillance.