Americans are destroying Flock surveillance cameras

The article reports that across the United States, there is a growing movement to dismantle and destroy Flock surveillance cameras, driven by public anger over their use in aiding U.S. immigration enforcement and deportations. Flock, an Atlanta-based startup specializing in license plate readers, operates a vast network of cameras that capture license plate data nationwide. Although Flock claims it does not share data directly with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), evidence shows that local police have granted federal authorities access to these surveillance tools, fueling concerns amid the Trump administration’s intensified immigration raids. Communities have responded in various ways, with some city councils debating whether to continue using Flock cameras, while others have seen residents take direct action by vandalizing the devices. For example, in La Mesa, California, cameras were destroyed shortly after the city council voted to keep them despite public opposition. Similar acts of vandalism have been reported in states including California, Connecticut, Illinois, and Virginia, reflecting widespread privacy concerns and resistance to surveillance