Woman Arrested, Dragged Away After Speaking About Flock at City Council Meeting
A woman was arrested and removed from a Springfield, Missouri city council meeting after attempting to speak against the city's use of Flock Safety surveillance cameras. The incident occurred amid rising tensions over the council's decision to delay a review of the controversial technology.
Why it matters
This highlights growing public concern regarding municipal surveillance and the limits of public participation in local government proceedings.
Mia Heider had never attended a public meeting before when she showed up to the city council meeting in Springfield, Missouri. After briefly speaking at a podium during a public comment period, she was arrested and dragged away in handcuffs.
“Hello, my name is Miley Heider. I’m a Springfield, Missouri constituent, and I’m here to oppose the usage of ALPR cameras, most commonly made by Flock Safety. These cameras are not just surveillance,” Heider started.
“I’m sorry ma’am,” Springfield Mayor Jeff Schrag said. Her mic was cut. A cop approached her at the podium. Heider held up both of her middle fingers while continuing to speak: “They are an invasion of our privacy,” she said. The cop said, “You’re under arrest,” grabbed her arms, and pulled her out of the room. “I can do this all night. I get paid by the hour,” the cop added.
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