A man dressed as the Star Wars villain attended a San Diego City Council session to satirically defend the use of Flock cameras as "what the Emperor needs".
The man approached the podium during a Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee session and ironically urged officials to install Flock cameras in the city. He said the cameras are "what the Emperor needs" to "help us find the rebel scum and their hidden base on Hoth".
"The Emperor is a fan of Flock, and we must continue using Flock technologies so that we can track and surveil the rebel scum as they move from park to park, from park to pool, from pool to gym, because we all know that Flock cameras are not only tracking license plate readers, they are tracking children," said the protester.
The cosplayer also mentioned a personal reason for wanting the cameras: "I need this so I can stalk my ex-girlfriend." He then urged council members to practise their "Jedi mind trick" to convince the public of the importance of the cameras, and suggested diverting funds from other public services.
"We don't need parks. We don't need libraries. We don't need childcare. We don't need shelters for homeless people. All we need is money for our Stormtroopers," he declared. "We will not yield to the forces of democratic will. No, this council was elected to serve the police, not the public, and if our Stormtroopers do not receive all the funding they deserve, there will be hell to pay with the Emperor, and he is not as lenient as I am".
