Flock Cameras being cut down in California

Our Take

The channel Digital ID, Mass Surveillance and Digital Currency flags a trend we've been tracking too: people in California taking matters into their own hands and literally cutting down Flock Safety cameras. We're not in the business of endorsing property destruction, but we understand the frustration driving it. When local governments quietly install networks of license plate readers with little public debate, no opt-out, and vague retention policies, some residents conclude that vandalism is the only form of public comment left to them.

That frustration is the real story here. Flock's rapid expansion across California and the rest of the country has outpaced the public conversation about who gets access to this data, how long it's kept, and what happens when it's shared with ICE, out-of-state agencies, or private actors. A camera getting cut down isn't a policy solution, but it's a symptom of communities that feel steamrolled by surveillance infrastructure installed without meaningful consent.

There are better levers than bolt cutters: public records requests, city council meetings, and local ordinances restricting ALPR use and data sharing have all forced real changes in other jurisdictions. Check our camera map to see what's been deployed near you, and visit our take-action page for concrete steps to push back through legal, political channels before people feel they have no other option.