‘Darth Vader’ backs flock cameras in cosplay moment
The short version: A Darth Vader-costumed speaker's satirical pitch for Flock cameras at a San Diego meeting underscores how absurd — and normalized — mass ALPR surveillance has become.
Our Take
Credit to Local 12 / WKRC for catching this moment, because it says more about the state of the ALPR debate than any council memo could. A man in a full Darth Vader costume stood up at a San Diego public comment period and voiced support for Flock Safety's camera network, apparently playing it as satire — the Empire endorsing the surveillance state, wink included. Funny bit. Uncomfortably accurate metaphor.
That's the thing about Flock's pitch to city councils: it's always framed as solving today's crime problem, never as building a permanent, networked log of everyone's movements that outlives the officials who approved it. When the strongest pushback shows up in a costume, it's a sign that the actual policy conversation — data retention, audit access, who can query the system and why — isn't getting the serious hearing it deserves in these meetings.
Laugh at the cosplay, but don't let it distract from the real stakes. Check our camera map to see what's already watching your streets, and head to our take-action page if you want to show up to your own council meeting — costume optional, substance required.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of LOCAL 12, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.