What’s the deal with the surveillance camera on Washington Square? It’s in response to vandalism.
Some online wondered if the new surveillance equipment on Washington Square was a Flock camera.
A new fixture is on Washington Square next to the Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier and the flags of 13 original colonies — a fenced off, solar-powered security camera.
The camera led some online to wonder whether it is a Flock camera, which is a type of surveillance device that automatically captures and stores license plate numbers and has generated privacy concerns.
Here is what you need to know about the new camera, which is not a Flock device.
Who installed the security camera?
Washington Square is part of Independence National Historical Park and the federal government has jurisdiction over the park.
The camera was installed in July by the National Park Service in response to vandalism, according to City Councilmember Mark Squilla.
“The National Park Service has the responsibility to keep America’s most cherished places safe and free from damage for the enjoyment of the American people,” a spokesperson for the National Park Service said. “In the past year, vandals have damaged the Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier.”
What do we know about vandalism in the park?
A handful of vandalism incidents in the Washington Square area have been reported this year, according to Philadelphia Police Department data.
One of the vandalism cases was in the early morning hours of July 4, and was followed hours later by a separate incident.
Later that day, five people who participated in a protest were arrested. During the event outside Washington Square, an unidentified woman attempted to burn an American flag.
While the U.S. Supreme Court ruled burning an American flag is protected speech, it is a violation of city safety codes for public spaces.
The arrests followed police orders to the crowd to disperse, and the five people allegedly did not comply.
It is unclear if any specific incident led the National Park Service to install the additional surveillance measure.
The Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier, which includes a statue of George Washington, was defaced with spray paint in 2020. Vandals wrote “committed genocide” on the memorial’s granite wall.
Is it a Flock camera?
The new surveillance equipment is not a Flock camera, a National Parks spokesperson said.
“Independence National Historical Park does not use Flock cameras. The park’s camera network is operated solely by the National Park Service on a standalone network with no connections to local or other federal agencies,” the spokesperson said.
The markings on the equipment suggest NPS installed a Verkada camera, the brand the federal government purchased in July for cameras surrounding the nearby President’s House. Three mobile surveillance trailers were installed at the site after President Donald Trump’s administration replaced the longstanding slavery exhibit with new and controversial panels.
