"Darth Vader" joins the Flock side in San Diego City Hall
“We must continue utilizing Flock technologies so that we can follow and surveil the rebel scum.”
A man dressed up as Darth Vader in San Diego City Hall. Courtesy of 619 media via YouTube/Cybernews.
- A man dressed as Darth Vader criticized San Diego’s use of Flock Safety cameras during a council meeting.
- The performer used satire to argue that surveillance tools threaten privacy and public oversight.
- Flock technology faces growing lawsuits as critics challenge city surveillance programs across the US.
Key Takeaways by nexos.ai, reviewed by Cybernews staff.
Besides numerous lawsuits against cities in the US, the anti-Flock movement is taking new forms and shapes, this time with Star Wars villain Darth Vader joining the surveillance company's side.
To be more precise, an unidentified man dressed as the legendary villain showed up at San Diego City Hall this week, during the San Diego City Council’s Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee meeting, using satire to criticize Flock Safety cameras and other surveillance technology used by the city.
"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," the man said, adding that the cameras help him stalk his ex-girlfriend.
Sarcastically, the man praised the council, arguing that too much money is going to libraries and parks and should instead go to the police department: "More money for the emperor to rule over the entire universe."
"All we need is money for our stormtroopers. And anyone who disagrees is part of the rebel alliance and scum, and they should be taken away immediately," the performer said, emphasizing that the council was elected to serve the police, not the public.
According to media reports earlier this year, the San Diego Police Department acquired new surveillance-related technology without going through the city's public oversight process, after signing a contract for the Flock Nova platform in December 2025.
As reported by Cybernews, the number of lawsuits in the US against cities utilizing Flock technology is growing, as people strive to protect their privacy, while the company itself wants to install its cameras in every US city.
