NORFOLK, Va. — After months of debating Flock Safety cameras at Norfolk City Council meetings, a group of residents took their concerns directly to City Hall on Tuesday, holding a protest against the city's license plate reader program.
Demonstrators gathered outside City Hall to voice concerns about surveillance, privacy and the collection of data through the camera network. Organizers said the protest was intended to show city leaders that opposition to the cameras remains active throughout the community.
Among those attending was Norfolk resident Alex O'Loughlin, who said the protest brought together people with a variety of concerns.
"The interesting thing is that there's so many different kinds of people that come here, right? There's definitely some people that just don't want to be surveilled, dead simple, right?" O'Loughlin said. "There's also more people kind of like myself who are concerned about the data governance."
O'Loughlin said questions about privacy and how information is handled continue to motivate residents to speak out.
Norfolk resident Ashley Verbert was also among those protesting Tuesday. She said the cameras have become a common sight across the city.
"I'm here because I find a real issue with, um, with every road we turn down, there's a flock camera," Verbert said.
Protesters said the demonstration was also about building support among residents who share similar concerns.
"I think that the more people are around people who also feel scared and are worried about them, uh, it just, there's, you know, power in numbers," Verbert said.
Supporters of the technology argue the cameras help law enforcement investigate crimes. Norfolk Police Chief Mark Talbot recently said the camera system has assisted investigators in several major cases, including a hit-and-run crash that critically injured a 9-year-old boy in August.
Still, protesters say they remain concerned about the expansion of surveillance technology throughout the city.
"Today's protest is to just demonstrate to city council that there is a large constituency here in the city that has issue with the surveillance," O'Loughlin said.
Residents who attended Tuesday's protest said they plan to continue speaking at city council meetings and advocating for greater oversight of the camera network as the public debate continues.
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