Across the country, government "fusion centers" — information-sharing hubs run by local, state, and federal police — are tracking social media accounts that oppose automated license plate reader cameras made by Flock Safety, according to internal bulletins obtained through public records requests.

These bulletins do not just describe a few dozen real incidents of camera vandalism. They also list specific cities that signed up for DeFlock's planned National Week of Action Against Automated License Plate Readers, a series of public meetings and town halls happening this month to discuss ending local surveillance contracts. DeFlock is an open-source project that maps camera locations and has led to more than 100 local contracts being canceled through ordinary civic engagement, according to its creator.

One bulletin even warned that a neo-Nazi accelerationist group had called for camera sabotage, in the same breath as describing DeFlock's lawful advocacy, despite noting there is no evidence the group ever acted on it. Treating peaceful organizers the same as extremists who never followed through sends a chilling message to anyone attending a public meeting about surveillance in their own community.

DeFlock's creator says his project has never called for vandalism, and that people misusing his project's name are responsible for the small number of real incidents. Meanwhile, residents who simply want to attend a town hall about cameras on their street are having their cities logged in law enforcement intelligence bulletins.

Investigating actual crimes is reasonable. Monitoring lawful political organizing is not. Sign the petition to demand fusion centers stop surveilling peaceful advocacy and draw a clear line between real crimes and protected free speech.