Camera Destruction Campaign Failing

CP
Carlton Purvis
Published Mar 19, 2014 04:00 AM

An anarchist campaign in Germany to destroy surveillance cameras spread through Europe and to the United States. But for the most part the movement seems to have burned off its momentum. Is Camover over?

Don’t know what Camover is? Take a look at their promo video:

We spoke with an organizer to better understand what was happening now and why.

The ***** *******

******* ***** ** ****** ** ** anarchist **** ******* ** ** ******* ******** ****** ********** [**** ** longer *********]. *** ********* ** *** game *** ** ******* ** **** surveillance ******* ** ******** ******* ** to *** ***** ** *** ********** on ******** ****, ****.

** *******,*** ******* ******** **** **** *** ***** ** the ****: * *****’* **** **** have * **** **** “**** ****** with *******…*******…***. *** **** **** * historic ******.” **** **** ******* ************* of *** ******* ********* ** *** form ** **** ******* *** *** extra ****** *** ***** ** ********. Winners ***** ** ********** *** *** most ******* ********* *** *** **** creative ******* ** ***********.

**** *** ********* *** ******, *** site ******** ****** * ***** *******, including *** **** ********** ***** ******* ******* **** ****** ****** * ***** ******* ********** *** Barefoot ****** *******.

**** ******** **** *****, ***** **** like ****** ******* *******.

Recent **********

***** *** ****** **********, *** **** went ******. ************ ** ***** *** forums ****** **** ***** ** ****** the ******. ** *** *** **** consistent *** ***** ******** **** *** *********** *** **** ******** ** ****** as **** **** -- ** ******* of ********** *******, *******.

*** **** ****** ********** **** ** be ******** ** ******* ******** ** Oakland ******* **** ***** ** **** of *** ****** ********* ****** ********. The ***** ** **** *** ******* cameras *********** ** **** ***** *****:

How ******* *** *********

*** **** ***** * ****** ** methods ** ******* ******* *** **** participants (* ******** ****** ********* *********** ******* **** *****'* *****). **** ******* obscuring ******* **** ******* ****, *****, cable ******* *** ******* **** ****. From ********'* *** ******* *** ***** reports, ****** *** ******* **** ********* worldwide ** **** ** *** ****, a **** ****** ** ********** ** the ******** ** ******* ******** ** the *****.

The ****** ** *** ************** ** *** ****** ********, ******* seems ** ** ****** **** ****. Since **** ******** *** ********* **** been ************ *** ********.

* ****** *.*. ******* “*********” *** graffiti ****** * ***** ** **** he ******* ** **** *** ******* in *** ******* **** ****, *** eventually ******* *** ****. **’* **** he ** **** ** *** *****.

“** *** ******* **’* *********,” ** said. “**’* *** **** ** ******* where *** ********** ** ****** ** spy ** ********. **** ** *** cameras *** ****** *** *** *** shops **** ***’* **** ** *** robbed. ** ***** **** ***** ******* because ******* **** ***** *** ********** a ********** ******, *** *** **** would ** **** ** *** ******** owners *** *** **********.”

Comments (9)
RW
Rukmini Wilson
Mar 19, 2014

One has to wonder what the rate of replacement of destroyed cameras actually is. Very few victims probably do an exact replacement; either you don't replace it at all or you get an IK10 rated dome to withstand the beating. Its seems probable, though not polically correct, that the net overall effect on the cctv business would be positive (at least short term), since in addition to the replacements, pre-emptive vandal proof upgrades would be in demand.

On the other hand, the indiscriminate and sensless destruction of dummy cameras, who are actually silent compatriots of the 'Camoverites', continues unabated despite the recent awareness campaign which centered around its slogan "Think, Dummy!". ;)

Avatar
Brian Rhodes
Mar 19, 2014
IPVMU Certified

Does a 'vandal proof' IK10 dome really offer that much protection?

Not to be argumentative with your larger question about 'replacement rate', but its important to recognize that 'vandal ratings' really don't offer much protection against a determined foe.

RW
Rukmini Wilson
Mar 19, 2014

Tell me more, please. How do the IP and IK numbers interact to give a total protection estimate. i.e. IP67 and IK10?

JH
John Honovich
Mar 19, 2014
IPVM

IP and IK ratings are not related. IP is about dust and water penetrating. IK is about resistance to force.

RW
Rukmini Wilson
Mar 19, 2014

Correct, although there was apparently an optional third digit designation that older enclosures may still carry, now deprecated: (as I just read)

Dropped IP level Impact energy Equivalent drop mass and height
0 — —
1 0.225 J 150 g dropped from 15 cm
2 0.375 J 250 g dropped from 15 cm
3 0.5 J 250 g dropped from 20 cm
5 2 J 500 g dropped from 40 cm
7 6 J 1.5 kg dropped from 40 cm
9 20 J 5.0 kg dropped from 40 cm

JH
John Honovich
Mar 19, 2014
IPVM

Totally academic, as it is not used in practice.

JS
Jack Sink
Mar 19, 2014
IPVMU Certified

"Outrage in search of a cause" might have been the genesis of Camover but the reality is that without a groundswell of support and participation it's probably hard to sustain the fun originally envisioned. Now, if you could add in unlimited cold beer, the cast of Girls Gone Wild #848 and a chance to win tickets to a music fest you might motivate every skateboarder in Seattle to tear down every camera in the city in one weekend.

RP
Ryan Proctor
Mar 19, 2014
IPVMU Certified

I was thinking that sales would go up over the vandal domes. If nothing else, they are alot harder to take down, especially mounted high.

The spray paint tube was interesting. Watching the guys tear at the camera in the train was amusing, they tore out one and gave up and painted the others.

These guys need a job and a life. Anarchy doesnt pay the bills.

JH
Jim Hall
Mar 20, 2014

An anarchist campaign in Germany... Camover seems to be pretty much done. Since last February the incidents have been disorganized and sporadic.

Y'all really thought that Anarchists could be good Organizers?

TG
Tedor Gligorich
Mar 20, 2014

The highest prize for a CamOverian would be a unmanned UK CCTV unit

bye-the-way, in the article for this Mobile CCTV, has this tricky sentence:

The six megapixel cameras provide a superior resolution at 1280 X 960 pixels...