Two Arrested at Springfield City Council Meeting Over Flock Safety Cameras

Mia Hyder was arrested during a Springfield, Missouri city council meeting on September 22 while opposing the use of automated license plate readers (ALPR) produced by Flock Safety. The meeting, presided over by Mayor Jeff Schrag, included a resolution proposed by City Councilor Brandon Jenson to review the 41 Flock cameras currently deployed in the city.

Hyder was detained for five minutes before receiving a ticket, while freelance photographer Noah Powell was also arrested and ticketed, spending five minutes in handcuffs before his release. The council voted 5-3 to send the resolution regarding the Flock cameras to committee, which has drawn criticism from local advocacy group Flock Out SGF.

Brandon Jenson expressed disappointment at the arrests, stating, "This isn’t how government is supposed to run." He emphasized the need for transparency in addressing community concerns about surveillance technology. Flock Out SGF has publicly supported the arrested individuals, asserting that their actions were reasonable in the face of being silenced.

This incident follows a pattern of arrests related to public comments at city meetings, highlighting ongoing tensions between local governments and constituents advocating for transparency and accountability in the use of surveillance technology.