Camover is here in Portland! For the months of July and August, we challenge you to join us in a game of revelry and destruction against the surveillance state!
We created the Zine below to explain the how and why of the game. It also gives an overview of the surveillance tech in Portland and some methods of destruction. Give it a read, then print a bunch out and share them with your friends!
Camover is a simple game with a simple objective: destroy, disable, and dismantle as many cameras as possible! You play against the surveillance state, an-ever growing enemy that watches all and never sleeps. You play for freedom, for a life without restriction, a city without spy-tech, and a future of possibility!!!
Camover began in 2013 when some anarchists in Berlin decided to take out CCTV cameras ahead of the European Police Congress. They posted their exploits online and encouraged others to play too. Since then, Camover has spread across oceans and continents, with spirited games popping up in Philly, New Jersey, Montreal, and the Bay. Now Camover comes to Portland for Summer 2026!
From the start of July to the end of August, get ready to take on the surveillance state: dust off your balaclavas, fill up those fire extinguishers, and warm up your throwing arm because the whole city is your playing field.
Anyone can play, and everyone wins! What are you waiting for?
Why Camover?
Surveillance infrastructure has come a long way since 2013. Cameras have been integrated with AI software that automatically sorts, tracks, and compiles footage for police. Facial recognition continues to improve, and most cameras are now outfitted with some form of automatic license plate reading (ALPR). Personal security cameras sold by tech giants like Amazon and Google have become ubiquitous, making it impossible to take a walk around the town without ending up on some person’s Ring or Nest camera. Everywhere you go, you feel like you are being watched, and you probably are.
At the same time, the state is using the surveillance network to deport millions of people. ICE agents use facial recognition and Flock cameras to target, kidnap and disappear people. The government is cracking down on dissent and going after anyone it considers “antifa.” The courts just sentenced anti-ICE protesters in Texas to hundreds of years in prison and are pursuing similar charges in Minneapolis and Michigan. The authoritarian push is made possible by AI-powered surveillance technology and the network of cameras that feed it.
Here in Portland, the city has invested millions to expand its camera network, chasing the models set by Atlanta and Chicago. Gentrified neighborhoods have cameras on every coffee shop and condo, to keep the poor people watched and the yuppies comfortable. In the abandoned and industrial edges of the city, once a zone of experimentation and play, the flashing blue lights of AI camera towers wipe away any feeling of freedom that used to be found there. With Waymos set to hit the streets in the next few months, there couldn’t be a better time to attack the surveillance state and the world of AI!
Camover is a chance to make a real dent in the surveillance network. Not only by destroying the eyes of the state, but also by showing that action and subversion is alive in the heart of the metropolis. The camera is as much a symbol as an actual tool, one that reminds you that the state is ever-powerful, so you best walk in line. By leaving cameras visibly damaged across the city, we can send signals to others that revolt and adventure is possible! Playing Camover is a great way to build affinity, confidence, and skills together so we can be that much more incisive with our blows when things heat up.
Game on!
How to Play
1. Find Your Friends Camover can be played alone, but it’s way more fun to play with others! Camover is a good way to build affinity with friends and practice moving together in the night. Compete between friends or crews and challenge each other to see who can get the most cameras!
2. Find Your Targets Cameras are everywhere, so targets are everywhere- there’s no shortage, unfortunately. There’s sections later on giving a brief overview of some of the cameras found throughout the Portland area, and methods you can use to blind them. There are a few maps included further along that show where certain cameras are located. You could choose one specific type to go after, like Flock cameras. Or you could pick a street and make an entire stretch camera-free. Or, you could just choose your path as you go.
Pick a surveillance-free spot to start your adventure from and another to end it at. Know the area and where you can escape to if you need. Choose a method based on the cameras you’re targeting.
3. Dress for Success If you play Camover, you’re going to end up in some security camera reel somewhere. But don’t sweat it too much! As long as you cover up well, you’ll have nothing to worry about!
Wear nondescript clothing that you don’t mind parting with. It shouldn’t come from your closet- free piles are a great (and free!) way to source clothing in the summer months. Choose clothes that are baggier but aren’t too hard to move in. Shoes too! Wear a pair of gloves to keep your fingerprints off of the scene and any tools you’re bringing along. Cover your face with a t-shirt mask, covid mask, or balaclava. Make sure that your eyebrows are tucked in. A hat and hood can come in handy here.
4. Strike! Now that you’re dressed for success, it’s time to have fun! Double-check your entrance and exit routes, and make sure that everyone is on the same page. Keep an eye out for police and private security, then strike quickly and move on! Don’t linger too long in one spot, but don’t rush too much either. Time flies when you’re having fun, but it can also slow down when your adrenaline is flowing. Be bold, stay together, and have fun!
5. Get Home Safe! After your fun night (or day) out, the only thing left is to get away safely! Before you return home, change out of your outfit worn in the action. Dispose of clothes and any tools used in your adventure, ideally not all in one place. Revel in your successes, but don’t brag, and be proud enough to forget it ever happened. Take care of yourself and each other! Subversion is scary- make space to be with the emotions that arise and treat your body well.
Previous games of Camover have encouraged players to write reportbacks and tally their camera kills somewhere anonymously. We’d rather you keep your stories to yourself, and see the carnage for ourselves when out and about instead of reading about it online. That said, if you had an especially exciting time, discovered a new method that worked really well (or failed completely), or have any other tips to share, we’d love to hear about them!
Using tails or another safe operating system, write up a short report and submit it to a local counter-info website like Rose City Counter-Info [Rosecitycounterinfo.noblogs.org] or Puget Sound Anarchists [pugetsoundanarchists.org]. Both of these sites have submission boxes that you can add your message to, so you don’t have to use a burner email address. You could also make a quick poster and spread it around the city for all to see!
via Rose City Counter-Info –
Camover is here in Portland! For the months of July and August, we challenge you to join us in a game of revelry and destruction against the surveillance state!
We created the Zine below to explain the how and why of the game. It also gives an overview of the surveillance tech in Portland and some methods of destruction. Give it a read, then print a bunch out and share them with your friends!
End surveillance, start living free!
PDF’s of the zine: read // print
From the zine:
What is Camover?
Camover is a simple game with a simple objective: destroy, disable, and dismantle as many cameras as possible! You play against the surveillance state, an-ever growing enemy that watches all and never sleeps. You play for freedom, for a life without restriction, a city without spy-tech, and a future of possibility!!!
Camover began in 2013 when some anarchists in Berlin decided to take out CCTV cameras ahead of the European Police Congress. They posted their exploits online and encouraged others to play too. Since then, Camover has spread across oceans and continents, with spirited games popping up in Philly, New Jersey, Montreal, and the Bay. Now Camover comes to Portland for Summer 2026!
From the start of July to the end of August, get ready to take on the surveillance state: dust off your balaclavas, fill up those fire extinguishers, and warm up your throwing arm because the whole city is your playing field.
Anyone can play, and everyone wins! What are you waiting for?
Why Camover?
Surveillance infrastructure has come a long way since 2013. Cameras have been integrated with AI software that automatically sorts, tracks, and compiles footage for police. Facial recognition continues to improve, and most cameras are now outfitted with some form of automatic license plate reading (ALPR). Personal security cameras sold by tech giants like Amazon and Google have become ubiquitous, making it impossible to take a walk around the town without ending up on some person’s Ring or Nest camera. Everywhere you go, you feel like you are being watched, and you probably are.
At the same time, the state is using the surveillance network to deport millions of people. ICE agents use facial recognition and Flock cameras to target, kidnap and disappear people. The government is cracking down on dissent and going after anyone it considers “antifa.” The courts just sentenced anti-ICE protesters in Texas to hundreds of years in prison and are pursuing similar charges in Minneapolis and Michigan. The authoritarian push is made possible by AI-powered surveillance technology and the network of cameras that feed it.
Here in Portland, the city has invested millions to expand its camera network, chasing the models set by Atlanta and Chicago. Gentrified neighborhoods have cameras on every coffee shop and condo, to keep the poor people watched and the yuppies comfortable. In the abandoned and industrial edges of the city, once a zone of experimentation and play, the flashing blue lights of AI camera towers wipe away any feeling of freedom that used to be found there. With Waymos set to hit the streets in the next few months, there couldn’t be a better time to attack the surveillance state and the world of AI!
Camover is a chance to make a real dent in the surveillance network. Not only by destroying the eyes of the state, but also by showing that action and subversion is alive in the heart of the metropolis. The camera is as much a symbol as an actual tool, one that reminds you that the state is ever-powerful, so you best walk in line. By leaving cameras visibly damaged across the city, we can send signals to others that revolt and adventure is possible! Playing Camover is a great way to build affinity, confidence, and skills together so we can be that much more incisive with our blows when things heat up.
Game on!
How to Play
1. Find Your Friends
Camover can be played alone, but it’s way more fun to play with others! Camover is a good way to build affinity with friends and practice moving together in the night. Compete between friends or crews and challenge each other to see who can get the most cameras!
2. Find Your Targets
Cameras are everywhere, so targets are everywhere- there’s no shortage, unfortunately. There’s sections later on giving a brief overview of some of the cameras found throughout the Portland area, and methods you can use to blind them. There are a few maps included further along that show where certain cameras are located. You could choose one specific type to go after, like Flock cameras. Or you could pick a street and make an entire stretch camera-free. Or, you could just choose your path as you go.
Pick a surveillance-free spot to start your adventure from and another to end it at. Know the area and where you can escape to if you need. Choose a method based on the cameras you’re targeting.
3. Dress for Success
If you play Camover, you’re going to end up in some security camera reel somewhere. But don’t sweat it too much! As long as you cover up well, you’ll have nothing to worry about!
Wear nondescript clothing that you don’t mind parting with. It shouldn’t come from your closet- free piles are a great (and free!) way to source clothing in the summer months. Choose clothes that are baggier but aren’t too hard to move in. Shoes too! Wear a pair of gloves to keep your fingerprints off of the scene and any tools you’re bringing along. Cover your face with a t-shirt mask, covid mask, or balaclava. Make sure that your eyebrows are tucked in. A hat and hood can come in handy here.
4. Strike!
Now that you’re dressed for success, it’s time to have fun! Double-check your entrance and exit routes, and make sure that everyone is on the same page. Keep an eye out for police and private security, then strike quickly and move on! Don’t linger too long in one spot, but don’t rush too much either. Time flies when you’re having fun, but it can also slow down when your adrenaline is flowing. Be bold, stay together, and have fun!
5. Get Home Safe!
After your fun night (or day) out, the only thing left is to get away safely! Before you return home, change out of your outfit worn in the action. Dispose of clothes and any tools used in your adventure, ideally not all in one place. Revel in your successes, but don’t brag, and be proud enough to forget it ever happened. Take care of yourself and each other! Subversion is scary- make space to be with the emotions that arise and treat your body well.
Previous games of Camover have encouraged players to write reportbacks and tally their camera kills somewhere anonymously. We’d rather you keep your stories to yourself, and see the carnage for ourselves when out and about instead of reading about it online. That said, if you had an especially exciting time, discovered a new method that worked really well (or failed completely), or have any other tips to share, we’d love to hear about them!
Using tails or another safe operating system, write up a short report and submit it to a local counter-info website like Rose City Counter-Info [Rosecitycounterinfo.noblogs.org] or Puget Sound Anarchists [pugetsoundanarchists.org]. Both of these sites have submission boxes that you can add your message to, so you don’t have to use a burner email address. You could also make a quick poster and spread it around the city for all to see!