"Darth Vader" speaks up in favor of Flock cameras
The short version: A San Diego resident donned a Darth Vader costume to sarcastically thank his city council for ALPR surveillance that could help him 'stalk his ex-girlfriend,' as covered by KING 5 Seattle.
Our Take
Sometimes satire cuts sharper than any policy memo. A guy in a Darth Vader costume telling his city council that Flock cameras would be great for stalking an ex isn't just a punchline — it's a plain-English explainer of what these networks actually enable. Take away the cape and the joke, and you're left with the uncomfortable truth: ALPR data has already been misused by police and civilians alike to track partners, exes, and people who've done nothing wrong.
Credit to KING 5 Seattle for airing a moment that most council meetings would rather bury in the minutes. Public comment theater works because it forces officials to sit with the absurdity of what they're approving — a surveillance dragnet with almost no guardrails on who gets to query it, or why. The joke lands because it's not really a joke.
If your city is voting on Flock contracts, don't wait for someone to show up in a costume to make the point. Check our camera map to see what's already watching your streets, and hit take action for tools to push back before the vote happens.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of KING 5 Seattle, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.