Diego City Council’s recent budget meeting, orchestrated by Lord Darth Vader, saw a stark shift in the conversation surrounding Flock Safety, the surveillance company dominating headlines with alleged abuses of its tools. Vader, speaking via a modified Hasbro Darth Vader mask, explicitly praised the council’s recent renewals of its contract, asserting that Flock technologies were vital for ‘following and surveilling the rebel scum as they move from playground to pool, from pool to gymnasium.’
Vader’s advocacy began with Anthony Ralphs, a San Diego-based DJ, event producer, and agriculture consultant, who spent the past year pushing against the city’s support of Flock’s deployment by the San Diego Police Department. Initially, Ralphs intended to maintain anonymity, concealing his identity behind the mask. However, as the video’s viral reach escalated, he decided to ‘take ownership’ of the stunt, positioning himself as a champion of civic engagement.
Ralphs’s initial thoughts centered on keeping his identity hidden, a move he’d made during his first city council meeting in summer of last year. The council’s initial reluctance to understand the technology’s scope – a vote of over 300 people, the meeting room nearly full, with 95% expressing opposition – fueled his determination. He recounts his third city council meeting, a pivotal moment where he realized the need for consistent advocacy.
Ralphs’s strategy involved a series of carefully orchestrated actions. He initiated a campaign of public awareness, utilizing art to engage millions on TikTok and Instagram. The creation of a ‘Darth Vader’ costume, a significant undertaking involving a silk cape from Turkey and a voice changer from the 2004 Hasbro helmet, was a deliberate attempt to create a visual symbol of resistance. His actions were documented in WIRED, a review of code for a new AI tool that already utilized Flock’s surveillance capabilities. The code itself, revealed, showed that the technology was actively monitoring far more than just license plates, suggesting a broader, far-reaching surveillance network.
Ralphs’s background is crucial; he’s a seasoned performer, having worked extensively in theater and labor studies. He’s also a recent intern for the American Federation of Teachers, organizing strikes and canvassing for candidates. He brought flowers to the meeting, a gesture reflecting his deep understanding of the city’s fiscal challenges – a $120 million deficit exacerbated by the Flock contract, with Hugo Parra, a local San Diegan wrongly imprisoned and sitting in prison for 30 days due to an erroneous tag, and his friend, who was also arrested, suing the city. The lawsuit is linked to a false tag by Flock, adding a layer of political controversy.
Ralphs’s goal isn’t simply to protest; it’s to highlight the lack of accountability and the potential for abuse within the system. He’s attempting to satirize the city council’s actions, pointing out that they appear to be ignoring their constituents. His argument centers around the idea that the city’s actions are subtly undermining the very principles of civic engagement.
As the meeting progressed, Ralphs’s theatrical gestures became more pronounced. He began mimicking the Darth Vader breathing sound, a deliberate act of symbolic disruption. He used the suit to effectively demonstrate his points, which triggered a significant reaction from the chief of police, who, in a chillingly Orwellian-digital vision, said, “Your powers are weak!”
Ralphs’s ultimate objective is to reframe the narrative from one of ‘necessary evil’ to one of ‘if Darth Vader finds it a ‘necessary evil,’ that should make us pause and reflect on whether or not we need it.’ He envisions a movement that encourages engagement and critical reflection on surveillance, advocating for a re-evaluation of the city’s surveillance practices.
He’s also created a global conversation about the implications of luxury surveillance and the dangers of unchecked power, drawing parallels to Orwellian-digital scenarios and suggesting a shift in focus to the importance of individual rights and freedom of expression.
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Source: Wired
