Flock Cameras Vandalized in at Least 36 States
The short version: A 36-state wave of Flock camera vandalism shows just how widespread frustration with ALPR surveillance has become, even if we don't endorse property destruction.
Our Take
Urban Dread's rundown of NPR's reporting lands on a number that's hard to ignore: Flock cameras have been damaged or disabled in at least 36 states. That's not a few isolated incidents in privacy-obsessed enclaves — it's a coast-to-coast pattern. When people in red counties and blue cities alike start taking matters into their own hands, that's a signal worth paying attention to, even if we don't condone vandalism as a strategy.
We'd rather channel that frustration somewhere productive. Destroying a camera gets you a replacement unit and maybe a felony charge; documenting it, organizing your neighbors, and pushing your city council to kill or audit the contract actually changes policy. DeFlock exists because the first step in fighting back is knowing where this infrastructure is. Check our camera map to see what's been deployed near you.
Credit to Urban Dread for pulling together the NPR data into one watchable piece — this kind of aggregation matters because local news coverage of ALPR backlash tends to stay siloed, state by state. The real story is national: Americans are increasingly uneasy with a surveillance net they never voted for. If you're one of them, our take-action page has legal, effective ways to push back.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of Urban Dread: Modern Urban Legends, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.