A small bouquet of flowers is used to block the lens of a speed camera on Armstrong Avenue, near Amboy Road, in Eltingville. (Staten Island Advance/Er

Staten Island groups use ‘flower power’ against NYC speed cameras

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2025-01-19 00:00:07

A small bouquet of flowers is used to block the lens of a speed camera on Armstrong Avenue, near Amboy Road, in Eltingville. (Staten Island Advance/Erik Bascome)Staten Island Advance/Erik Bascome

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Flower power appears to be the latest weapon in Staten Islanders’ war on New York City’s speed cameras.

Local drivers have long bemoaned the borough’s speed cameras since they first started popping up in 2014, arguing that the automated enforcement is nothing more than a city cash grab operating under the guise of a public safety tool.

Recently, a group that refers to itself as the “Staten Island Beautification Squad” has launched a protest against the speed cameras, using small bouquets of flowers to block the lenses of the ticketing devices.

Photos of the obstructed cameras have begun circulating on social media to mixed response, with some championing the floral vigilantes.