People are vandalizing Flock surveillance cameras.

People have vandalized Flock surveillance cameras in multiple parts of the United States, with recent reporting documenting damaged, disabled, removed and destroyed devices. The full number of incidents remains uncertain, but the underlying claim is supported.

Amid intense backlash, people are vandalizing Flock surveillance cameras
Source: npr.org

At a glance

Key Evidence

Verified August 21, 2026

NPR reported on Aug. 21, 2026, that Flock cameras had been vandalized, blocked or removed in dozens of states, with incidents identified in at least 36 states through a review of local reporting.
The Guardian documented at least 33 apparent protest-related incidents across 23 states as of July 25, while CNN described cameras being cut down, painted and struck by a vehicle.
A local Indiana report published Aug. 20, 2026, said the Allen County sheriff's department filed a report concerning a vandalized Flock license-plate reader on Coldwater Road.

The reporting

What the Evidence Shows

Recent reporting confirms that people are intentionally targeting Flock Safety license-plate cameras. NPR reported on Aug. 21, 2026, that cameras had been vandalized, blocked or removed in dozens of states. Its review of local news reports identified incidents in at least 36 states, although that figure reflects reported cases rather than a complete national count.

The Guardian, in a July 25 investigation, independently identified at least 33 incidents in 23 states involving damage or destruction that appeared connected to protests against surveillance. CNN also described several methods used against the cameras, including cutting them down with an electric saw in New York, throwing paint on cameras in California and ramming them with a truck in Idaho. Local reports have documented additional cases, including a July incident involving a vandalized license-plate reader in Allen County, Indiana.

The reporting also provides context for the motive. Critics have raised privacy concerns about the information Flock cameras collect and how law-enforcement agencies may share or access it. That context does not make the vandalism lawful, and the available summaries do not establish that every damaged camera was targeted for the same reason. Still, the claim is phrased broadly, and multiple independent reports establish that people are vandalizing these cameras.

Primary trail