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Sanya Mansoor<\/p>\n
The first time that \u201cNoMark\u201d tried to knock out a Flock camera feed, he waited an hour for the perfect moment \u2013 pacing in and out of bushes that towered over him, a few feet behind a pole holding up the device.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was just so nervous,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
NoMark, as he\u2019s known on Instagram, had already gained an online following<\/a> of hundreds of thousands for posting videos of himself wearing a black mask and taking on small-time vigilante missions: breaking up fights outside a bar and breaking into a refinery he believed was \u201cpolluting the city real bad\u201d. The Minnesota Star Tribune dubbed him \u201cMinneapolis\u2019 Batman<\/a>\u201d. He spoke to the Guardian under condition of anonymity to discuss potentially illegal acts.<\/p>\n On this June night, he set his sights on a new target: automated license plate readers (ALPRs)<\/a> made by the US company Flock Safety.<\/p>\n These black cameras, which are hooked up to a rectangular solar panel and typically mounted on a pole, snap photos of passing vehicles and run the pictures against large databases. They have sparked nationwide backlash from pro-privacy critics, who point to public records<\/a> suggesting that these devices can help<\/a> law enforcement keep tabs on specific license plates and the people driving these cars. That they can sweep in so many people\u2019s location from an innocent act in a public space \u2013 regardless of whether the target is a suspect in a crime, and without a warrant \u2013 has led to fears of mass surveillance.<\/p>\n Flock, based in Georgia and valued at $8.4bn<\/a>, says<\/a> its cameras scan license plates billions<\/a> of times each month in about 6,000 communities in nearly every state in the US.<\/p>\n The company said in a February blogpost <\/a>that its ALPRs are \u201cnot mass surveillance tools\u201d and that it \u201ccannot track vehicles, much less individual people\u201d.<\/p>\n Across the street from a Taco Bell, <\/strong>NoMark couldn\u2019t stop thinking about whether he would get caught, and the adrenaline felt paralyzing \u2013 even though this felt \u201con brand\u201d for his online persona, which has won him more than 700,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok. After a few minutes of not spotting any cars on the road, he climbed a few feet up the pole, taped up the camera to block its lens and snipped the wires that powered the whole operation. Then he ended his phone\u2019s recording and fled.<\/p>\n Nowadays, NoMark is much calmer on these excursions, and it only takes him a few minutes to get the job done after having taken down more than a dozen cameras, he says. But he still assumes the police are looking for him. Even if he does get arrested, he\u2019s hopeful the charges won\u2019t be too severe \u2013 and more important, he \u201cjust wants to send a message\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not afraid to do things if I think they\u2019re right,\u201d he says. \u201cThese things are coming up so fast across the country that this is kind of the only way to combat them.\u201d<\/p>\n The Minneapolis camera destroyer is not alone. As anger grows towards law enforcement contracts with Flock, vigilantes across the country are taking matters into their own hands by smashing, obstructing or taking down these cameras. Many are leaning into their creative side: \u201cpaint bombing<\/a>\u201d the devices, planting American flags<\/a> at the scene after damaging them, 3D printing objects to help obstruct the camera\u2019s view and leaving colorful messages like \u201chahaha get wrecked<\/a> ya surveilling fucks\u201d. Some influencers are even creating fake cease-and-desist letters from Flock<\/a>, capitalizing on the company\u2019s negative public perception.<\/p>\n The Guardian has identified at least 33 instances of people damaging, vandalizing and destroying Flock cameras, across 23 states, that appear to have the explicit message of protesting surveillance.<\/p>\n This article includes content provided by Instagram. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click ‘Allow and continue’<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n Flock, along with police departments across the US, say these cameras are integral for public safety, and capture vehicle details that can help in investigations, such as license plate numbers and the make and model of vehicles. Flock\u2019s website also advertises<\/a> how these cameras can \u201cstop crime in real time\u201d by alerting officers \u201cthe moment a suspect car passes by\u201d \u2013 suggesting that cops can act quickly on these leads to pursue a target. The company\u2019s CEO, Garrett Langley, has described some pro-privacy critics<\/a> as wanting to \u201cnormalize lawlessness\u201d and \u201cweaken public safety\u201d.<\/p>\n NoMark has not been caught in his campaign against Flock cameras. Others are facing charges. Jeffrey Sovern in Suffolk, Virginia, has been charged with destruction of property for allegedly damaging more than a dozen Flock cameras. Sovern has not admitted to the act but did tell police that he finds these cameras to be unconstitutional<\/a>.<\/p>\n He wrote on a GoFundMe<\/a> created to pay for legal expenses: \u201cI will take the silver lining that this can be a catalyst in a bigger movement to roll back intrusive surveillance.\u201d<\/p>\n A handful of other cases have drawn criminal charges, too. In New Mexico, Jevon Martinez was arrested after allegedly destroying 13 Flock cameras<\/a>.<\/p>\n When asked if he would \u201ccontinue to take down these Flock cameras\u201d, Martinez told local news station KRQE: \u201cAbsolutely. They are a clear and present threat to public safety.\u201d The news outlet also reported that a sign near one of the damaged Flock cameras read: \u201cYou\u2019re welcome<\/a>, the Republic of New Mexico.\u201d<\/p>\n Flock did not comment on vigilantes knocking out its cameras but did publish a blogpost<\/a> in mid-July about helping government agencies respond if a camera is damaged.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve planned for it,\u201d the company wrote, adding that protection plans are available for purchase.<\/p>\n Law enforcement is aware of the backlash and responding. Dozens of state fusion centers \u2013 collaborative hubs where federal and local agencies share intelligence about crime and terrorism \u2013 circulated memos across law enforcement agencies this summer directing officers to monitor anti-Flock advocacy as part of a directive to protect national security, according to reporting from journalist Dan Boguslaw<\/a>. One report Boguslaw obtained from a Wisconsin intelligence agency calls for increased vigilance and patrols during protests and events such as a \u201cnational week of action<\/a>\u201d in mid-August. That intelligence digest also advised local law enforcement to report \u201cvandalism, disruption or sabotage\u201d of ALPRs to fusion centers.<\/p>\n The winds of sympathy online are not blowing in Flock\u2019s favor. News articles and videos about vigilantes\u2019 cases have drawn support from online commenters, who post made-up, neighborly alibis like seeing accused parties rescuing dogs or serving meals at a soup kitchen at the time a camera was destroyed.<\/p>\n The anti-Flock online ecosystem also features an exchange of tips and strategies for kneecapping the cameras. One Reddit poster shared a 3D print file for an object he says can help block cameras without damaging them or violating vandalism laws.<\/p>\n NoMark, in Minneapolis, says he receives dozens of messages daily from people wanting to help, letting him know they\u2019re taking similar actions or asking for advice on staying safe. He keeps his replies vague, as he doesn\u2019t want his words to get people arrested. He tells those writing to him to avoid driving past the cameras, and to make sure they\u2019re going out late at night when they no one else is around. He reiterates that they should cover up completely, including their face and hands.<\/p>\n He also tells them: \u201cAlways cover the camera.\u201d<\/p>\n Minneapolis\u2019s Batman thinks you need both political pressure on elected officials and vigilantism to achieve change. He believes showing up to city council meetings \u2013 and he\u2019s shown up to a few without his mask \u2013 is helpful but \u201cit does obviously take time, and it\u2019s not always effective\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThe more time you take, the more data they get on people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n More than 80 cities<\/a> have disbanded, decided not to renew or rejected contracts with Flock in recent years, or deactivated the company\u2019s cameras, including Austin<\/a> and Denver<\/a>, although activists remain concerned about the devices\u2019 continued use in those areas.<\/p>\n Beyond general surveillance creep, privacy advocates fear US Immigration and Customs Enforcement\u2019s ability to access these camera feeds through legal loopholes to pursue immigrants.<\/p>\n Police officers have used the cameras for their own personal ends as well. Several have lost their jobs after misusing the devices to stalk people<\/a>. Though license plate reading is the cameras\u2019 bread and butter, 404 Media reported last week that cops have used Flock\u2019s search feature<\/a> to look for people with distinct markers \u2013 like tattoos and specific T-shirts \u2013 and not just cars.<\/p>\n Congress is taking note, and earlier this month a Texas lawmaker introduced<\/a> a bill requiring warrants for data collected by Flock cameras.<\/p>\n Not all anti-Flock activism takes the form of camera destruction. A crowdsourced map<\/a> created by the grassroots group DeFlock maps out more than 115,000 ALPRs across the country. The organization\u2019s site also allows users to see if their license plates have been searched in Flock\u2019s system, get directions to avoid ALPRs and find upcoming meetings about municipal Flock contracts.<\/p>\n Flock\u2019s CEO has taken note of DeFlock\u2019s advocacy, too, and characterized the organization as \u201cterroristic<\/a>\u201d but recently apologized for that label. In a tweet, he attributed DeFlock\u2019s popularity to his company\u2019s \u201cinadequate response to the questions and concerns that people have about ALPR\u201d. The company is adapting to the backlash, canceling an always-on recording feature, \u201chuman distress detection\u201d, which was intended to detect screaming.<\/p>\n A local chapter of DeFlock, in Norfolk, Virginia, says it does not endorse vigilantes targeting Flock cameras but does not advocate against it, either.<\/p>\n The Virginia chapter is working to ensure the city either cancels or does not renew its contract with Flock, but so far it hasn\u2019t had success, and members are particularly angry about speaking restrictions on the topic. At a city council meeting last month, the mayor enforced a rule about reducing repetitive comments to limit the number of speakers who wanted to share their concerns about Flock, the Virginian-Pilot reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe recognize it\u2019s the inevitable outcome of a system designed to prevent people\u2019s voices from being heard,\u201d said a DeFlock spokesperson.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/stateofthenation.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2400.webp\")
<\/div>\n\n\n\u2018Creepy surveillance\u2019: why some cities are shutting down Flock cameras amid privacy concerns<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nRead more<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/d25c4fffcd64256a54854e84129313b6929bc0a3\/0_0_7886_5258\/master\/7886.jpg?width=620&dpr=2&s=none&crop=none\")
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\nMatthew Jonas\/Boulder Daily Camera\/MediaNews Group\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\nAllow Instagram content?<\/div>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/703316e7b5083bef2fad8e077d76ace7eda10b32\/0_0_4900_3060\/master\/4900.jpg?width=620&dpr=2&s=none&crop=none\")
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\nHouston Chronicle\/Hearst Newspapers\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nFlock faces public blowback<\/h2>\n
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\n<\/span> Photograph: Bloomberg\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nPrivacy advocates pursue policy changes as vigilantes tear down cameras<\/h2>\n
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\nMatthew Jonas\/Boulder Daily Camera\/MediaNews Group\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n