At the San Diego City Council’s most recent budget meeting, an attendee dressed as Darth Vader voiced support for the council’s decision to renew its contract with Flock Safety, a surveillance company that has drawn scrutiny amid reports of police misuse and a WIRED investigation revealing its AI tool monitors more than just license plates.
“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.”
The video of the stunt quickly went viral, accumulating millions of views across TikTok and Instagram.
Anthony Ralphs, the San Diego-based DJ, event producer, and agriculture consultant who orchestrated the stunt, has spent the past year campaigning against the city’s authorization of Flock Surveillance for use by the San Diego Police Department.
Initially, Ralphs considered concealing his identity behind the Vader mask—a 2004 Hasbro model. However, as the video gained traction, he chose to publicly claim responsibility for the stunt, which successfully brought Flock and surveillance technology to the forefront of public discourse globally.
WIRED interviewed Ralphs regarding his advocacy efforts, the process of creating the costume, and the potential of art to foster civic engagement.
This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.
VITTORIA ELLIOTT: How did this start for you? Was this your first city council meeting?
ANTHONY RALPHS: No. My first experience at a city council meeting occurred last summer or fall. However, the Flock matter marked the first city council meeting that truly engaged me in ongoing civic participation. This took place on December 9th, during which the council voted on whether to renew the Flock contract.
At that time, the city council appeared unfamiliar with the technology’s specifics, while law enforcement promoted it as a force multiplier. The vote drew over 300 attendees, filling the chamber to capacity, with approximately 95 percent of participants expressing opposition to Flock. Despite this clear public sentiment, the council approved the contract renewal. This outcome deeply discouraged Ralphs and motivated him to attend meetings consistently moving forward.
At the subsequent city council meeting, Ralphs found himself among only a handful of attendees—a stark contrast to the hundreds present just weeks earlier. This realization underscored the need for sustained, regular advocacy efforts, prompting him to temporarily step away from his studies to maintain consistent participation.
Why did this feel so critical?
San Diego faces a $120 million budget deficit, yet the city allocated $2.2 million for Flock’s contract despite cutting arts programs and amid opposition from communities disproportionately affected by policing. The situation is further complicated by the case of Hugo Parra, a San Diego resident who was wrongfully incarcerated for 30 days based on an inaccurate Flock camera reading. (Flock Safety did not respond to a request for comment regarding this incident.)
