As opposition to Flock Safety’s license plate readers mounts across Massachusetts, proponents of the technology have found an unexpected ally: Krampus, the half-goat, half-demon Christmas monster from European folklore.
Glowing red eyes ablaze and demonic horns on point, Saint Nick’s disciplinarian counterpart stepped up to the microphone at Billerica’s Select Board meeting Monday to wax effusive about the automatic camera systems.
“Santa handles incentives; I handle corrective action,” explained Krampus, a ghoulish figure said to punish poorly behaved children during the holidays.
“This stuff is right up my alley: people associating with the wrong crowds, being subversive, thinking naughty thoughts,” she continued. “With Flock, we can find that, and we can punish it before people have had the chance to actually do anything illegal.”
Krampus added: “I’ve been keeping a list of who’s naughty and who’s nice for centuries. Frankly, it’s about time you people started automating it.”
A growing number of Massachusetts towns and cities have reconsidered their relationships with Flock in light of data security concerns and numerous reports of law enforcement officials misusing the technology to spy on significant others and exes. Proponents, meanwhile, argue Flock cameras are a vital investigative tool.
Billerica Select Board Secretary Daniel Darris-O’Connor proposed banning the use of automated license plate readers like Flock back in February, but the town has thus far kept its cameras. Lowell, Billerica’s neighbor to the north, voted Tuesday to suspend its use of Flock pending a thorough policy review of its usage and use of data.
The unnamed local behind the Krampus disguise told Boston.com in an email she was inspired by someone who donned a Darth Vader costume last month to address public safety officials in San Diego and offer tongue-in-cheek “support” of Flock cameras. Further inspiration came from Darris-O’Connor, who, when asked about the town’s policy for addressing the board anonymously, allegedly replied: “You can come as Mickey Mouse if you want.”
Thus, a new Billerica personality was born: “Krampus Kringle, Address: Underworld.”
“I felt like several residents had already spoken up and made the general points I wanted to make; going as Krampus felt like a way to have a different spin on that, paired with some performance art, that I hope will be impactful,” the masked individual explained. “I also think humor is a great way to connect with people, and get them to care about issues they might otherwise ignore.”
Krampus poked fun at some of the Select Board members at Monday’s meeting, calling one “the type of hero the surveillance state needs” and urging another to demonstrate a stronger “commitment to the side of evil.”
“I know a lot of people say that’s ‘unconstitutional,’ but as a demon myself, I only believe in my own right to privacy and not anyone else’s,” she joked at one point.
Select Board Chairman Mike Riley followed Krampus’s remarks with an invitation to join Billerica’s Halloween 5K, though he did not address the Flock commentary directly.
“I was happy with the attitude the Select Board had about it; I felt like they understood that my point was serious, even though my presentation was unconventional,” the masked individual told Boston.com, adding that she was “reasonably confident” she was the first “Creature of the Underworld” to address Billerica’s Select Board.
“I’m really hoping I can encourage people to get more involved at a local level, especially about issues like AI [Automated License Plate Readers] systems,” she added. “These things impact our daily lives, and it turns out they let just anyone speak at local meetings — human or otherwise. You don’t need to be special or in leadership or anything — I’m just a random resident who happens to own a demon goat mask.”