Indivisible Berkeley

Recent updates

• No Flock in Berkeley – UpdateMay 21, 2026

  What happened at the May 7th Meeting?

  Approval of surveillance polices, the requirement for a formal RFP process for any new surveillance, and a continuation of the existing ALPR contract. No new contracts were approved. (Click for more info)

  Council Member Brent Blackaby made a motion to split up the pieces of the proposal and remove the expansion of contracts with Flock for fixed video cameras, drones, and more advanced software.

  PART 1: Surveillance Policies and RFP Process

  • Approve policies for Fixed Video cameras and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) with amendment.
  • Refining use of drones at protests/crowds, but can be revised before we have the equipment.
  • Policy for Community Video Streams referred to Public Safety Policy Committee, although still headed towards implementation.
  • Start RFP process involving PAB and BPD for ALPR and other equipment, such as fixed cameras and drones.

  VOTE RESULTS:

  • 8 Yes: Mayor Adena Ishii, Rashi Kesarwani, Terry Taplin, Igor Tregub, Shoshana O’Keefe, Brent Blackaby, Cecilia Lunaparra, Mark Humbert
  • 1 No: Ben Bartlett, who said his constituents want none of it.

  PART 2: Existing Flock Contract

  • Approve 12 month extension of Flock contract for ALPR cost of $200,000

  VOTE RESULTS:

  • 5 Yes: Kesarwani, Taplin, O’Keefe, Humbert & Blackaby
  • 4 No: Mayor, Bartlett, Tregub, Lunaparra

  PART 3: Expansion of Flock Contracts

  • Technically, there wasn’t a vote AGAINST the additional flock contracts – there was no motion to approve those additional contracts.

  What happened leading up to this?

  Government oversight, grassroots organizing and media exposure to the issue.

  Police Accountability Board did their work. After the March 24th meeting, which ended without a vote, the Police Accountability Board continued to identify problems with the proposed contracts, including with the no-bid procurement process.

  Many groups organized against the proposal and coordinated their efforts. There’s more on this below.

  There was a rush of articles in the last few days before the vote:

  • Opinion piece by Kesarwani, Taplin, O’Keefe, Humbert in the Berkeley Scanner.
  • Opinion piece by Josh Cayetano and Leah Wilson, Chair/Vice Chair of PAB in BerkeleySide.
  • CalDaily published article and leaked Confidential memo from City Attorney Farimah Brown to the Council – main points about security of data and potential legal costs. Picked up by BerkeleySide.

  What are our takeaways from the process?

  It took people power, time, communication, multiple action types, and a common goal: to stop Flock.

  Some of the organizations who worked on this grassroots campaign include:

  • Indivisible Berkeley
  • East Bay Sanctuary Covenant, La Peña Cultural Center, and other immigration support groups
  • Wellstone, EBCFA, and various progressive groups
  • ACLU, Secure Justice, other legal groups
  • Friends of Adeline, Sylvia Mendez Support, other neighborhood groups
  • CopWatch

  Our collective and collaborative actions included:

  • Canvassing with flyers at gatherings
  • Door knocking with flyers and yard signs in swing districts
  • Phone banking
  • Public statements
  • Email appeals
  • Public comment at Council Meetings. 156 public comments at the meeting with many more attending in-person, online
  • An ActionNetwork Letter campaign for specific district appeals, organized by EBCFA and Indivisible Berkeley
  • A BerkeleySide Banner add that directed toward Indivisble Berkeley’s ActionNetwork page – 374 emails sent! 
  • A Rally and press conference before the May 7th meeting, organized by East Bay Sanctuary Covenant and other groups, including IB. It was attended by over a hundred people and

  IB’s work increased visibility for Indivisible Berkeley:

  • Banner Ad and ActionNetwork letters
  • Developing informational website and flyer
  • Speaking at the public rally

  Focus on local government and local action is important for resisting fascism.

  • “No Kings” includes impeding Flock’s efforts to pull communities into nation-wide surveillance
  • Local government is becoming more important as the Federal government loses trust and the ability to help people (weakened FEMA, CDC, EPA, etc.) 
  • Let’s encourage other Indivisible chapters to connect with local affairs.
  • This is where resistance to autocracy gets rooted!

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• Indivisible Berkeley Resolution on Warrantless Mass SurveillanceMay 16, 2026

  Indivisible Berkeley is opposed to any form of warrantless mass surveillance, because:

  • Products and services from Flock as well as other data brokers store and share accumulated personal information in a way that constitutes mass surveillance.
  • Access to this information without probable cause violates the Fourth Amendment.
  • This information also jeopardizes our First Amendment rights.

  Unanimously passed on May 10, 2026.