Humboldt County, CA UPDATED 01/15/2026

CRITICAL UPDATES ON THE EUREKA DRONE PROGRAM CONTINUED BELOW THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT:


January 15th 2026| statement from the Humboldt Alliance Against War Profiteers (HAAWP)

“Wing Inflatables, local manufacturer of critical war infrastructure, blatantly disregards safety
while stealing from their workers to cover company crimes.

On Saturday, January 10th, Humboldt residents marched on Wing Inflatables in solidarity with the
people of Venezuela and in staunch condemnation of Arcata’s local war profiteers. During the
demonstration, one wall of the Wing factory was tagged with graffiti drawing attention to Wing’s
war profiteering business model. In response, Wing’s management has retaliated against their
employees by taking the graffiti removal cost from the workers’ profit sharing fund, not from
the millions in annual military contract profits which enrich CEO Andrew Branagh and his wealthy
cronies year after year.

To the workers:

We share a common enemy in Andrew Branagh and all of Wing Group’s parasitic management.
Their move to punish you for the actions of others is a callous, manipulative attempt to divide and
disempower all of us. We understand that many of you are forced to support your families on an
insultingly low wage of $18 or $20 an hour, and that Wing refuses to give you the raises you
deserve. We also understand that you are reprimanded and told to work twice as fast because Wing’s
selfish, warmongering executives have bitten off far more than they can chew in military contracts.
If Andrew Branagh’s hollow, dead-eyed appeals to you were in any way sincere, the support beams
in Wing’s factory would not be crumbling at their base, poor insulation would not make for
sweltering hot summers and unbearably frigid winters, and a poorly maintained ventilation system
would not regularly clog, choking the air with dust and toxic vapors. Now, Wing’s management is
attempting to keep us all under their boot by stealing what is owed to you in an act of cynical
collective punishment. Any company that is willing to take these abusive measures to keep their
workers in line is one whose workforce must organize to protect itself. Join us! And fight against
the US war machine and for a world in which all workers may dictate the terms of their labor.

Background:

Wing Inflatables is a principle manufacturer of Combat Rubber Raiding Craft for the US Navy,
Army, Air Force, Marines and Special Operations Command, and their only manufacturing
facility is located here in Arcata, California. Since 2001, Wing Inflatables’ multinational parent
conglomerate, Wing Group, has received $86.4 million in federal contract and subcontract awards.
Of the $6 million in federal contracts Wing has been awarded in the last year, the Department of
Defense comprises 84% of obligations, with the Department of Homeland Security coming in
second at 15%. In their own words “Wing’s combatant craft are used throughout the world by the
US Army, the US Navy SEALs, and tactical and military professionals.” War boats sold on Wing’s
“black boat line,” models P5.8 and P4.7, are exclusively used in military operations and were
painstakingly designed by Wing over the course of 7 years.

The US military relies upon Wing’s specially designed crafts to conduct both covert special
operations and large scale sea-to-land invasions. Small inflatable crafts are also regularly used by
the US military to raid civilian ships, a tactic currently used against oil tankers leaving Venezuela
and supply ships sailing to Yemen. If deployed, many of the 15,000 US troops now staged in the
Caribbean would use Wing’s crafts to invade Venezuela and navigate the country’s extensive
network of waterways. To be clear: The invasion and bombing of Venezuela and Venezuelan
civilian boats is an attempt by the US to take exclusive control of the country’s oil fields (the largest
in the world) while reasserting US geopolitical domination and distracting from the rapid
acceleration of fascism here at home. We get murdered by ICE, imprisoned in concentration
camps, and surveilled by AI; the world gets invaded; and Wing Group gets paid.

Wing Group stands to profit immensely from a world ravaged by fascism and imperialist resource
wars, yet they are also overextended and vulnerable to pressure. According to one source with
intimate knowledge of Wing Inflatable’s operations, Wing’s management regularly pressures
workers to double or triple their output in order to meet military contract quotas. If Wing falls
below a certain output rate, they are liable to be sued by the US government.

The company’s insecurity surrounding production rates often places workers in direct physical
danger: in 2024, Wing’s management failed to proactively evacuate workers during a 7.0
earthquake that shook Wing’s factory and its support beams. With no word from management,
workers were forced to walk off the assembly line without permission, risking their jobs in order to
save themselves from bodily injury. After being sent home in compliance with the regional tsunami
warning that followed the earthquake, workers received a company wide email demanding they
return to work only two minutes after the tsunami warning had expired. According to one source,
cement at the base of the factory’s support beams had turned to “chalk.”

Sources also confirm that factory ventilation fans regularly break down and vents regularly clog,
leaving the air and ground saturated with hazardous industrial chemicals such as methyl ethyl
ketone, tetrahydrofuran, toluene, and several industrial adhesives. Wing has institutionalized poor
working conditions and abysmal wages in order to boost their bottom line. They know their
workers are angry. This is why they closed early during January 10th’s demonstration in an attempt
to isolate workers from protesters, and this is why they have stolen from the workers’ profit sharing
fund in an attempt to pit us against each other. They understand that, together, we are too big of a
threat to handle.

CEO Branagh states that “[We] save people’s lives for a living.” Whether or not you directly
produce weapons, you logistically enable military aggression. Your “lifesaving” equipment is
critical for the US Military’s aggression against Venezuela and the callous murder of civilians
across the world. If your desire to save lives was legitimate and not a cynical public relations
facade, you would cease all work for the US Military and other war profiteering. If you truly cared
about life, you would not profit off of death.
CEO Branagh asks “So, I don’t know; am I complicit?”

Yes, Andrew. You are complicit.
Fire to the empire! Dignity for all workers!

— Humboldt Alliance Against War Profiteers (HAAWP) “

⚠️ UPDATE: DRONE PROGRAM RESEARCH PROPOSAL PASSED EUREKA CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY
– research plan sent to COPP committee for input, review, and approval.

1768950000

  days

  hours  minutes  seconds

until

COPP (Committee Oversite on Police Practices) January 20 @ 3:30pm

January 6th 2026: The City Council voted unanimously to advance the drone program, despite more than 30 public comments opposing it and minimal support in favor. The proposal now moves to the COPP Committee, where it will be reviewed, further developed, then brought back to the City Council at a later date for approval.

NEXT COMMUNITY ACTION January 20th 2026: attend to voice your opposition at the COPP Committee meets at 3:30 PM on the fourth Tuesday, quarterly (4 times each year) in the City Council Chamber, located at 531 K Street, Eureka, CA 95501.

How to Prepare: Share this information, Spread the word, and attend the COPP. Decide on one or two clear points – such as privacy impacts, costs, or oversight- and plan to state them concisely within the allotted time. Written comments can also be submitted for the public record. Coordinating with others to reinforce shared concerns helps ensure key issues are clearly heard. Each person is granted 3 minute to speak during defined public comment period during the meeting.


[OUT OF DATE: THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION DATED JANUARY 2026]

The City Council is revisiting a proposal for a municipal drone program. Here’s everything you need to know about who’s involved, what’s on the agenda, when and where the discussion will take place, and why this item affects our community.

Who: The proposal comes from the Eureka Police Department (EPD) (Click THIS link to read the EPD Drone Research Request)
What: Item J.1. What was once delayed has returned: City Council was again asked to advance a municipal drone program. Approval at this stage will begin a process with lasting negative implications for how public resources are spent and how our public space is monitored. City Council members pay attention to written public comment, especially when it arrives before the meeting and clearly references the agenda item. Item J.1 proposes beginning research into an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) program for the City of Eureka. Once research is authorized, momentum tends to carry forward quietly and quickly.Agenda Link: (full agenda 1/6)
Agenda Item: J.1 – Request to Begin Research of a Municipal Drone Program
Meeting Date & Time: January 6, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Location: Eureka City Council Chambers, 531 K Street, Eureka, CA 95501
Remote Access: Zoom link available on the City’s website
Public Comment: Residents can submit questions or comments before or during the meeting
When: January  6, 2026 – 06:00 PM at the first Eureka City Council Meeting of 2026 : Where: City Hall at 531 K Street, Eureka
Email the Eureka City Council, City Managers:

kbergel@ci.eureka.ca.gov
lcastellano@ci.eureka.ca.gov
kmoulton@ci.eureka.ca.gov
gmfernandez@ci.eureka.ca.gov
sbauer@ci.eureka.ca.gov
rcontreras@ci.eureka.ca.gov
ppowell@eurekaca.gov
cityclerk@eurekaca.gov
mslattery@eurekaca.gov		Subject: Strong Opposition to Item J.1

I am writing to strongly oppose Item J.1 and any research or implementation of a City of Eureka drone program. This proposal endangers resident privacy by enabling constant, citywide surveillance, fundamentally changing how public space is experienced and monitored. Once such systems are introduced, meaningful limits are difficult to enforce. The risks to personal freedom and community trust are significant and long-lasting.

The program also carries unclear and potentially high costs for equipment, software, training, and ongoing maintenance. For these reasons, the Council should reject this program entirely.
Thank you for your attention.
Participate in Public Comment

You can make your voice heard during the City Council meeting in several ways:
Attend in Person: Join the meeting at City Council Chambers, 531 K Street, Eureka, CA.
Join via Zoom: Participate remotely and submit your comments live.
Phone-In: Call in using the meeting’s dial-in number to share your input.
All comments become part of the official record and are considered by the
Council during their discussion and vote. Speaking up helps ensure that residents’ perspectives, concerns, and questions are included in the decision-making process.		 Live, in-progress meetings can be viewed by selecting ‘watch now’ from the list below when the meeting is ongoing, or on our YouTube channel. To participate in a meeting via teleconference, please reference the agenda for the meeting in question. Unless otherwise noted on the agenda, most meetings should use the following Zoom information:

Click to join: https://us02web.zoom.us/my/cityofeureka?pwd=z6YldhKPYDdTafGbeEDn94fYcegQ33.1&omn=89415287657
Meeting ID: 707 441 4243   |   Passcode: 95501
To join by phone, call: 707-441-4243  |  Dial *6 to mute/unmute and *9 to raise/lower hand

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[OUT OF DATE: THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION DATED OCTOBER 2025]


⚠️October 21, 2025 PLANS FOR DRONES WERE PULLED FROM AGENDA

Thank you to everyone who participated by emailing, sharing the flyers, and calling our representatives! We believe this is democracy in action. It is expected that EPD will attempt to open discussion on this item at a later date. For now, however, an research unmanned drone project is NOT up for a debate. You all have our gratitude.

Special thank you to all who organized, or responded in any capacity. This is truly a community victory. We vow to keep fighting surveillance overreach to ensure technology is deployed in ways that preserve our integrity, safety, and privacy in our rapidly changing world.

Sincerely, a group of concerned citizens 10/21/2025

A Critical Development (outdated)

Item G6, originally listed for automatic approval on the City Council’s consent calendar, has been pulled for public discussion. The proposal involves researching the potential use of aerial drones by the City of Eureka, including for mental health and emergency response scenarios.

This is a pivotal moment: it means the community NOW has a voice on Tuesday 21st at the Eureka City Council meeting before any decisions are made.

🚨 UPDATE: Drone Item Pulled from Consent – Discussion Set for Tuesday

🧭 What Changed

Councilmember G. Mario Fernandez (3rd Ward) confirmed that the item will be openly discussed at Tuesday’s council meeting. According to Fernandez, the current proposal would not authorize drones immediately, but instead begin research into their possible use during “critical need” situations.

His statement:
“Hello,

This item is pulled from consent and will be up for discussion at the Tuesday council meeting, though, admittedly I would be adverse to a blanket “No” on researching the use of drones. In speaking with the city manager and the chief earlier today this is a request to begin research into the potential need and use of aerial drones in the event of critical need. How an event becomes critical is among the questions I plan to ask along with what is the functional need given the agenda item claims mental health needs. I can see the benefit of use if/when a natural disaster occurs. At this early in the process I don’t see the use for these drones on the same level as the earlier attempt to install Flock cameras albeit I see and acknowledge the potential for surveillance abuse. I also see an opportunity for a truly community driven process given that this would go to the Community Oversight on Police Practices board and any other processes we may consider for determination on Tuesday. Personally, I would like to draw people in for a Town Hall after the winter holidays for discussion and input on public safety and the potential use of these drones. Please continue to reach out to me if you have any questions or thoughts on this or other items of concern.

Take Care, G Mario Fernandez 3rd Ward Councilmember GMFernandez@eurekaca.gov Office: (707) 441-4171 Cell: (707) 572-6283″

However, several key questions remain:

While Fernandez acknowledged potential benefits during natural disasters, he also recognized the risk of surveillance abuse and expressed openness to a community-driven process to shape future policy.

1️⃣ Show Up

IN PERSON:
🗓 Date: Tuesday, October 21, 2025
📍 Location: Eureka City Hall, 531 K Street
🕖 Time: 6:00 PM



“All City of Eureka public Meetings and Agendas are available to view at any time in this center. Live, in-progress meetings can be viewed by selecting ‘watch now’ from the list below when the meeting is ongoing, or on our YouTube channel. To participate in a meeting via teleconference, please reference the agenda for the meeting in question. Unless otherwise noted on the agenda, most meetings should use the following Zoom information:

JOIN ONLINE: https://us02web.zoom.us/my/cityofeureka?pwd=z6YldhKPYDdTafGbeEDn94fYcegQ33.1&omn=89415287657
Meeting ID: 707 441 4243   |   Passcode: 95501
To join by phone, call: 707-441-4243  |  Dial *6 to mute/unmute and *9 to raise/lower hand”

Even short comments help ensure that community voices are on the record before decisions advance.

2️⃣ Contact Your Councilmembers

📧 Email All Councilmembers:

3️⃣ Stay Involved

Follow up on the Town Hall proposal. Encourage the city to formally commit to public workshops on drone use, privacy, and mental health response alternatives.

Fernandez indicated that any future recommendations would go to the Community Oversight on Police Practices board, and he suggested organizing a Town Hall after the winter holidays for direct community input:

“I would like to draw people in for a Town Hall after the winter holidays for discussion and input on public safety and the potential use of these drones.”
— G. Mario Fernandez, 3rd Ward Councilmember

This statement opens the door for a transparent, participatory dialogue — but only if residents stay engaged.

↓ If you have the time PLEASE send an email to our local representatives

To:
cityclerk@eurekaca.gov
lcastellano@eurekaca.gov
gmfernandez@eurekaca.gov
rcontreras@eurekaca.gov
sbauer@eurekaca.gov
kmoulton@eurekaca.gov
kbergel@eurekaca.gov
mslattery@ci.eureka.ca.gov

 Helpful Links

☑ WHO: Eureka Police Department

The Eureka Police Department (EPD) is the largest local law enforcement agency in our region, and is responsible for maintaining public safety in our community. Recently, they have submitted a request to the Eureka City Council seeking permission to research and develop a military-style drone surveillance program.

This request is part of a broader trend of police militarization and the adoption of high-tech surveillance tools in local communities across the country. Crucially, this proposal had PREVIOUSLY been placed in the consent calendar for the Tuesday, October 21 City Council meeting, a section of the agenda intended for routine items that do not receive public discussion or debate.

If approved without discussion, this program could begin research into drones that have the capacity to monitor residents’ daily lives, track movements, and collect data on civilians, all without the input, consent, or oversight of the community they are meant to serve.

Residents of Eureka have already successfully pushed back against similar initiatives, such as the Flock Surveillance program, demonstrating that our voices can and must be heard when local law enforcement attempts to introduce technologies that threaten civil liberties.

Now, the EPD is asking for another step toward militarized surveillance, and it’s up to all of us to ensure this does not advance unchecked.

This is not just a bureaucratic request – it is a decision that impacts the privacy, safety, and trust of everyone in our community without any input from us, the governed.

☑ WHAT: Seeking to Launch Drone Program

The Eureka Police Department’s proposal aims to research and develop a military-style drone surveillance program in our community.

It was PREVIOUSLY hidden in the “consent calendar” for the Tuesday, October 21 City Council meeting, a part of the agenda reserved for routine items that can be approved all at once, without discussion or public input.

The program almost advanced without the community having a chance to speak, making it more difficult to stop before taxpayer money is spent and surveillance technology is introduced into our neighborhoods.

☑ WHERE: Eureka City Council

Right here in Humboldt County, California. The drones would be tested and deployed in our local community, over our neighborhoods and public spaces. The Eureka City Council is located in the Council Chambers at Eureka City Hall, which is located at 531 K Street, Eureka, CA 95501. The chambers are on the second floor. 

☑ WHEN: 6pm October 21st

The Eureka City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 21st, and this is the critical day when the vote could take place.

☑ WHY: Stand Up for Our Community

Advanced military-grade Surveillance drones aren’t just “new technology” -they’re another step toward militarized policing, and an erosion of our constitutionally protected right to privacy.

These drones threaten privacy, civil liberties, and public trust – all without proven benefits to our safety. In a time when technology is advancing faster than oversight, people from every walk of life can agree on one thing: residents should have a voice in how our neighborhoods are monitored.

We don’t need military-grade equipment to keep Humboldt County safe – we need transparency, accountability, and community-driven solutions. Stand Up for Our Community

☑ HOW: Act Now


Take two minutes below to make your voice heard – your message could be what stops it.

(SUCCESS ✅ ) We need help calling on the Eureka City Council to pull Consent Calendar Item G6 from the consent calendar and put it on the regular agenda so residents can speak.

The most crucial way to help is to Email or call City Council members before Tuesday the 21st to demand transparency and stop the proposal before it takes flight.

✉️ COPY+PASTE+SEND Pre-Formatted Email Template

To:
press@aclunc.org
clmp@civilliberties.org
info@cdpueblo.com
info@cooperationhumboldt.com
sjeic@humboldt.edu
hhr@co.humboldt.ca.us
info@equityarcata.org
admin@humboldtcountydemocrats.org
humboldtgop@suddenlinkmail.com


Subject: Urgent Effort to Protect Community Privacy (Tues 10/21)

ATTENTION!

The Eureka Police Department’s proposal to research a drone surveillance program has been removed from the consent calendar but remains on the agenda for discussion and a possible vote. Community voices are crucial—please urge the Council to VOTE NO.

-Drone programs threaten privacy, civil rights, and public trust.

-“Research” initiatives often expand into permanent surveillance with limited oversight.

-Public safety should prioritize care, transparency, and community, not militarization.

Email or Call Before Tuesday: engage your networks, and community partners to engage.

Attend the Meeting: Speak during public comment, and encourage others to do so.

Attend the meeting on Tuesday, October 21 at 6 PM at Eureka City Hall (531 K Street, Council Chambers, 2nd Floor) to speak during public comment.

Your support can help ensure transparency, accountability, and a community-driven approach to public safety in Humboldt County.

City Clerk Contact for Comments: cityclerk@eurekaca.gov | (707) 441-4175

Thank you for standing with the community to protect civil liberties and doing all that you do.
(Visit demilitarizehumco.org for more information)


Sincerely,
[Your Name, Org, or Pseudonym]
[Optional Contact Info]

Together we keep Humboldt free, safe, and accountable.
No drones. No silence. No compromise.