Watch: Darth Vader defends Flock cameras in San Diego
A man dressed as Darth Vader attended a San Diego City Council committee meeting to satirically defend Flock cameras as "what the Emperor needs" to find "rebel scum." His Star Wars-themed critique of surveillance went viral—watch 039darth vader039 defends Flock in the circulated clip. The appearance mixed cosplay humor with pointed comments about license plate readers, public funding, and policing.
Key Takeaways
- A Darth Vader cosplayer spoke at San Diego's Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee meeting.
- He satirically urged officials to install Flock cameras as "what the Emperor needs."
- He claimed the cameras follow more than license plates and joked about personal misuse.
- He argued money should shift from parks, libraries, and shelters to "Storm Troopers."
- He said the council was elected to serve the police, not the public.
Why did Darth Vader speak at the San Diego City Council?
According to UPI, a man in full Darth Vader costume approached the podium during the Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee meeting. He used the Star Wars villain persona to satirically urge officials to install Flock cameras in the city.
The stunt fits the kind of viral civic theater often covered in Bizarre News & Florida Man. The costume and dark-side rhetoric made a policy debate about surveillance cameras hard to ignore.
What did the cosplayer say about Flock cameras?
The man said the cameras are "what the Emperor needs" to "help us find the rebel scum and their hidden base on Hoth." He framed Flock technology as a tool to follow and surveil people he cast as rebels.
He went further on how the systems work, saying Flock cameras are "not only following the license plate readers, they are following children," and describing movement "from playground to playground, from playground to pool, from pool to gymnasium."
"The Emperor is a fan of Flock, and we must continue utilizing Flock technologies," he said. He also gave a personal reason for wanting the cameras: "I need this so I can stalk my ex-girlfriend."
He told council members they should practice their "Jedi mind trick" to convince the public of the cameras' importance. He argued money should be diverted from other public services.
"We do not need parks. We do not need libraries. We do not need daycare centers. We do not need homeless shelters. All we need is money for our Storm Troopers," he said.
He closed with a hard jab at democratic accountability: "We will not succumb to the forces of Democratic will. No, this council was elected to serve the police, not the public, and if our Storm Troopers don't receive all the funding that they deserve, there will be hell to pay with the Emperor, and he is not as forgiving as I."
Why does this odd council appearance matter?
Public comment is usually dry. Dressing as Darth Vader turned a Flock camera debate into a shareable moment while still landing critiques of surveillance, budget priorities, and who local government serves.
The remarks satirized fears that automated license plate readers and related tech expand tracking beyond cars. By joking about stalking and cutting parks and shelters for "Storm Troopers," the speaker cast camera funding as a trade-off against community services.
Whether viewers see satire, protest theater, or pure spectacle, the San Diego appearance put Flock cameras and council oversight in the spotlight. The costume made the message travel; the quotes made the policy fight concrete.