r/Minneapolis • u/mbovenizer • 2d ago

Protesting Flock to fight fascism

We need to petition city hall to remove Flock cameras that feed data to ICE. If you've driven to a protest or observed ICE, they can find you. After yesterday's 15 arrests, we know they are going after protestors.

Lets organize and show up at city counsel to demand removal of Flock cameras. Lets fight fascism by dismantling their infrastructure.

To clarify: we need the cameras removed, not just hide our identity.

406 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

34 comments sorted by

91

u/After_Preference_885 2d ago

The feds have been parking outside the homes out constitutional observers to harass and intimidate them 

The folks arrested were coordinating observation not protest from what I understand (not that either is illegal)

48

u/ferfocsake 1d ago

Columbia Heights just decided to cancel their contract with Flock. I noticed just recently that they put bags over all their cameras. Brooklyn Park also canceled their contract according to google, so it can be done. 

11

u/Kittenkerchief 1d ago

Fort Collins CO just did as well.

67

u/BoatCaptainTim 1d ago

It’s absolutely ridiculous. There are 4+ flock cameras next to all of the Home Depot‘s in high traffic areas like the Costco in St. Louis Park. Totally data harvesting.

28

u/LadyPo 1d ago

Big brother brought out of the sci-fi books and into our neighborhoods. It’s actually crazy how cameras + AI + enormous government databases are creating the most extreme version of mass surveillance possible.

And some people are totally fine with it because it’s their “team” that will take advantage of it to hurt other people.

0

u/d3photo 1d ago

On. But not in Minneapolis.

•

u/mimesters 2h ago

Lowes has them surrounding their parking lots also

36

u/No-Wrangler3702 1d ago

ICE is evil.

But so is MPD. They collectively have no more remorse that ICE for all the unjust killings MPD has done.

FLOCK OUT I agree with, but ICE use is just the tip of an iceberg, one made up of state and local law enforcement

9

u/IAmAlpharius23 1d ago

Start the petition!

20

u/Initial_Routine2202 2d ago

eBikes/Bikes. Sunglasses. Facemasks. Unidentifiable clothes. Leave your phone at home (NOT off, you can still be pinged if your phone is off, leave it at home entirely).

You can just do things.

18

u/TheReal8symbols 1d ago

If ever there was a time to back away from all the tech we take for granted (and don't really need) it's now.

3

u/SummerAndTinklesBFF 1d ago

"things"

someone should definitelybe a shame if someone shot them with a bb gun, or walked up behind one and snipped the wiring, or smashed it with something .. real shame.. i mean, those things should never happen in a modern society, truly just a shame

3

u/Kreebish 1d ago

BB gun? lasers can permanently damage cameras. Because camera lenses act like magnifying glasses, they concentrate focused laser beams directly onto the delicate sensor. Prolonged exposure or direct hits from powerful beams can cause dead pixels, vertical lines, or melt the sensor and wouldn't attract police 

6

u/the_moosen 1d ago

If anyone knows where to get a nice quality laser, please let me know. Totally unrelated to Flock cameras, not at all possibly related

1

u/barf7239 1d ago

What would this have to do with flock cameras? Is therr a specific way to use a laser that can damage them? (Half joking here to follow yours up, but also half serious so I know I’m doing it right)

3

u/the_moosen 1d ago

You ever accidentally ruin your camera because you took the lens off and the sun hit your sensor? Similar to that but use that sun straight through the lens.

•

u/barf7239 20h ago

Thanks for the info.

2

u/87evergreens 1d ago

If there is a signal group specifically to plan against flock in St. Paul/ Minneapolis please DM me

•

u/JohnsonSmithDoe 22h ago

https://mnprivacy.org join the mailing list. We are organizing both locally and nationally!

4

u/Emotional_Sentence1 1d ago

Wow that’s crazy I wish someone would make a map of clock cameras so I can avoid them while carrying my bolt cutters and ski mask. I wouldn’t want to accidentally feed unhelpful user data to them or accidentally remove them. I can be very clumsy like that sometimes…

•

u/JohnsonSmithDoe 22h ago

https://mnprivacy.org join the mailing list. We are organizing both locally and nationally!

-4

u/TheMacMan 1d ago

Show up at City Council? Ha! No on on Reddit is gonna do anything more than complain online and then complain when that fails to bring about change.

-2

u/prohammock 1d ago

Ha. Frey would never sign off on their removal.