In an intriguing act of defiance against modern surveillance, an activist has taken measures to dismantle Flock’s automated license plate readers. This bold move not only highlights objections to invasive technology but also sparks discussions about community rights and privacy. The actions of Jevon Martinez, also known as “Johnvon Thechamp,” have gained attention, prompting us to consider the implications for local governance and the future of surveillance technology.
Yves here. This act serves as a tasty rebellion against the Flock implementation of a surveillance state. Surprisingly, it’s legal and could inspire similar actions in other communities facing analogous issues.
What local authorities decide to do—likely influenced by Flock—will be revealing. Their inaction may be a tactic to obscure the fact that Flock cameras remained operational after their designated deactivation date. However, it’s often those in power who struggle to tolerate challenges, possibly leading them into a quandary.
By Benjamin Bartee, author of Broken English Teacher: Notes From Exile, engages in independent, unapologetic journalism from Bangkok. Originally published at Armageddon Prose
“In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, brave, and often scorned. Once his cause succeeds, the timid join him, as there’s no cost to being a patriot.”
-Mark Twain
And today’s patriot is Jevon Martinez, known on social media as “Johnvon Thechamp.”
According to KOB 4:
“Bernalillo County Sheriff’s deputies apprehended a man on Wednesday after he appeared outside their headquarters with several Flock cameras loaded in his pickup truck.
Martinez was initially arrested for damaging Flock cameras in Rio Rancho back in May. On Wednesday, he posted a video showing his journey around Albuquerque as he dismantled automated license plate readers once again.
In these videos, he states that, since the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office terminated its contract with Flock last month, those cameras should no longer be operational on the streets*.
“For the record, I am not stealing these. I am not destroying them. I am merely returning them to the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department,” he stated in one of his videos.
Martinez clarified that his issue lies not with BCSO, but with Flock, whose automated license plate readers have sparked significant controversy nationwide.
The cameras have the capability to track vehicle locations and store identifying information, raising concerns about possible misuse by law enforcement, including tracking personal relationships.
“Is this a crime? I don’t believe so, nor does the public. I’m just liberating my community from tyranny,” said Martinez in a video shared on social media.
*Martinez’s initiative to return the decommissioned Flock cameras to the police headquarters was an attempt to ensure the orderly packing and return of what he affectionately refers to as “tyranny trees.”
Albuquerque man takes it upon himself to remove Flock cameras from around town, depositing them at sheriff’s office for processing pic.twitter.com/8f61x8QwWm
— Thomas Paine Reloaded™ (@BenBartee) September 7, 2026
Via Futurism (emphasis added):
“Weeks after Bernalillo County officials cancelled their contract with the controversial surveillance company Flock, Martinez observed that the automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) remained in place. In a series of social media videos highlighted by KOB4, he filmed himself dismantling the camera towers to return them to their rightful owners.
“Since the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department is busy — I know BCSO has a full plate, so I went ahead and helped you out,” Martinez mentioned while driving his truck, which was notably filled with ALPR parts.
“We’ve got a truckload of these bad boys,” he exclaimed in another video, showcasing his full truck bed of parts. “Let’s see how much I can collect in one day — that’s the challenge for everyone out there.”
Martinez, while playing the role of a helpful citizen, drove his literal truckload of ALPR equipment directly to the Sheriff’s department, where he was quickly taken into custody.
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As noted by Harrison Smith from the entity formerly known as Infowars, even after municipalities cancel their contracts with Flock, the company often leaves the cameras operational to continue mass surveillance, presumably gathering and selling data to various clients, including domestic and international intelligence agencies.
The unsettling reality is that shadowy tech companies, potentially with CIA ties, may be trading private data for profit, further entrenching oppressive systems. This situation raises significant ethical questions about the nature of the free market.
It’s crucial to remember that while corporations have moved manufacturing to foreign lands, technologies facilitating unregulated surveillance, arms manufacturing, and reckless financial practices fuel the current stock market.
Related: U.S. Corporate Profit Margins Surge to All-Time Apex
In a world characterized by “anarcho-tyranny,” actions like Martinez’s, intended to free his community from the remnants of oppression, may lead him to prosecution rather than praise.
As previously discussed, the concept of the “social contract”—regardless of its past legitimacy—has become a fragile illusion in 2026, designed to pacify the public while veils of authoritarian control tighten around us.
If the law does not apply to the powerful, who operate with impunity, why should it bind the average citizen like you or me?
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Once you realize that the government would classify America’s Founding Fathers as “domestic terrorists” if they were alive today, the milestone we’re at on the road to totalitarianism becomes clearer pic.twitter.com/4ETtVjPOkd
— Armageddon Prose (@ArmageddonProse) September 5, 2026
This incident raises profound questions about privacy, civil liberties, and the extent to which citizens should go to reclaim their freedoms from technological overreach. Jevon Martinez’s actions, while controversial, serve as a catalyst for important conversations about the balance between security and liberty.
