Law Enforcement Used Flock Cameras to Monitor Protesters

According to an article in 404Media.com, new data obtained by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) shows that police departments and U.S. Border Patrol used Flock license plate–scanning cameras hundreds of times over the past year to monitor protests across the country, including multiple “No Kings” protests. The records, gathered through public records requests, reveal that more than 50 federal, state, and local agencies conducted protest-related searches across Flock’s nationwide network of automatic license plate readers (ALPRs), often without warrants.

Flock cameras — now deployed in thousands of U.S. communities — record vehicle plate numbers, make, model, and color, and allow law enforcement to track a vehicle’s past movements. The data shows officers frequently searched Flock’s national system even when investigating local events. Some searches were directly labeled “protest” or “No Kings,” and examples span multiple states and protest types, from anti-deportation demonstrations in Tulsa to events tied to May Day, DOGE protests, and rallies after police shootings.

EFF researchers warn that the findings provide the most substantial evidence yet that ALPR systems are being used to surveil constitutionally protected protest activity, raising serious civil liberties concerns. The organization argues this technology can be used to chill dissent and calls on policymakers to take action.

Law enforcement sometimes cited protest-related crimes or threats as justification, though in most searches no criminal offense was documented. Border Patrol also used Flock to search for vehicles linked to the “Portland Riots,” though CBP later claimed its access was only for demonstrations and ended in August 2025. Flock declined to comment.