Man dressed as Darth Vader voices support for Flock cameras
The short version: A Darth Vader cosplayer's joke endorsement of Flock cameras at a San Diego meeting underscores a very real, unfunny surveillance expansion problem.
Our Take
Credit to Boston 25 News for capturing a moment that's equal parts comic relief and accidental honesty. A guy in a Vader costume telling a city council that "the emperor is a fan of Flock" is a joke, sure, but it lands because it's not that far from the truth. Flock Safety's automated license plate readers have spread to thousands of communities with the kind of quiet, unaccountable momentum you'd expect from an actual empire, not a public safety vendor answering to voters.
The bit works precisely because so many city council meetings on Flock contracts feel like theater already: staff present crime-fighting anecdotes, cameras get approved on consent agendas, and real scrutiny of data retention, sharing with ICE and out-of-state agencies, or who audits the audits gets skipped. A costume gag getting airtime is almost a relief compared to the usual rubber-stamp routine these votes get.
If your city is quietly wiring up Flock cameras on every arterial road, that's not satire, that's your local infrastructure. Check our camera map to see what's already watching your plate, and if you want to push back before your council session turns into its own punchline, our take-action page has the tools to speak up while it still matters.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of Boston 25 News, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.