A man dressed as Darth Vader showed up at a San Diego City Council meeting. He appeared at the Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee meeting. The man approached the podium as the character’s heavy breathing came through the council chamber’s microphone.
According to Fox News, committee members addressed the man as Darth Vader. He seemed to mock the Flock-linked surveillance system. He suggested the tool could serve as an asset to the dark side.
“This is what the emperor needs. This technology will help us find the rebel scum and the hidden base on Hoth,” the man said. He referred to the frozen planet from The Empire Strikes Back.
Costumed speaker discusses Flock cameras while citing Star Wars figures and locations
He said the technology “will help us find Luke Skywalker as he traverses the universe in his X-Wing. This technology is a necessary, necessary force.” The man’s satirical defense of Flock cameras contrasts with real-world opposition, such as when a Virginia Air Force engineer allegedly cut down 13 cameras, arguing they are unconstitutional.
“The emperor is a fan of Flock, and we must continue utilizing Flock technologies so that we can follow and surveil the rebel scum as they move from playground to playground, from playground to pool, from pool to gymnasium, because we all know that the Flock cameras are not only following the license plate readers, they are following children,” he said. He added that he needs the cameras “so I can stalk my ex-girlfriend.”
Addressing City Council member Jennifer Campbell, the man said she needs to work on her Jedi mind tricks. “And how will the people trust this City Council when this City Council continues to vote for surveillance technology that imprisons them? Ms. Campbell, you must work on your Jedi mind tricks,” he said before waving his hand to the audience.
In December 2025, the San Diego Police Department signed a one-year pilot agreement for Flock Nova, a platform designed to integrate data from various sources. The department later said it was not using the platform and did not plan to integrate its license plate reader data into it.
Local activists and some city officials have called for alternatives as public criticism of the cameras continues to mount in communities across the country. Flock’s systems can identify distinguishing features, though concerns about their use have appeared elsewhere, as a Florida man claimed a speed radar trailer was hiding a Flock camera.
The San Diego Police Department uses Flock automated license plate recognition cameras at approximately 500 locations citywide, according to the department’s 2025 annual surveillance report. A crowdsourced map maintained by the anti-surveillance project DeFlock lists additional cameras in the area, though its entries are not an official city inventory.
San Diego police say the technology is used for official law enforcement purposes, including locating vehicles connected to investigations. The department says its ALPR database can only be accessed by authorized SDPD personnel and that data is retained for up to 30 days and automatically deleted unless it is preserved as evidence in an active investigation.
Flock offers automated license plate readers, video cameras and audio-detection products. Its license plate readers capture plate numbers along with vehicle characteristics such as make, model and color, and some Flock systems can identify distinguishing features such as bumper stickers or aftermarket modifications.
Published: Aug 23, 2026 09:15 am