A protest was held Friday outside the San Francisco home of Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen, organized by the youth climate group Sunrise Movement. Demonstrators criticized Larsen's financial backing of San Francisco’s expanded police surveillance infrastructure, particularly automated license plate readers. They distributed flyers warning residents about Flock cameras and displayed a mock surveillance camera with the message: “Does this make you feel safer, Chris?”
Sunrise Movement Bay Area organizer Luc Bouchard said activists believe automated license plate readers have not been shown to significantly reduce crime. He argued that San Francisco would see better public-safety results by investing in housing instead of expanding surveillance. The demonstration was described as part of a nationwide campaign against license plate readers and law enforcement surveillance technology.
Larsen has funded private security camera networks for years. In 2021, he backed a $700,000 proposal for a network of cameras in San Francisco's Castro district. By 2023, reports indicated he had contributed roughly $4 million to community surveillance-camera efforts. In 2025, Larsen offered $9.4 million to support the relocation and modernization of the San Francisco Police Department’s Real-Time Investigation Center. Ripple provided the space for the center through a lease arrangement. The upgraded center now operates with a network of more than 400 Flock automated license plate reader cameras.
In July, the San Francisco Police Commission approved another $3 million contribution from Larsen. Privacy advocates and community groups have raised concerns about the collection and potential sharing of license plate data. Bouchard said activists intentionally brought the campaign to Larsen’s doorstep because of his role in financing the technology they oppose.
