Vandals Attack 130,000 License-Plate Cameras as Surveillance Backlash Spreads

2 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Aug 18

Flock license-plate cameras are being shot, spray-painted and cut down across the U.S., marking a widening wave of vandalism against the surveillance devices.
More than 130,000 automatic plate readers now dot the country, according to crowdsourced tracker DeFlock.org, making them a visible target as public anger over monitoring grows.
Law enforcement has embraced the AI-assisted cameras as potent investigative tools, but critics say the same systems erode privacy and fuel resentment.
East Tennessee river guide Adam Heimerman said the cameras repeatedly rankled him on his commute, reflecting how everyday exposure is feeding the broader backlash.

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Will the escalating war between vigilante vandals and AI surveillance companies ultimately force cities to blind their own police forces?

Could your daily driving routine accidentally turn you into a prime suspect in a crime you never committed?