Statement on the Prairieland Nine
March 16, 2026
Red Help ATX stands in full solidarity with the Prairieland Nine defendants in their fight against repression from the county, state, and federal government.
The United States of America was founded on stolen land, and built on kidnapping, enslavement, and genocide. This government has always prosecuted, imprisoned, and killed those brave enough to take a stand against its barbarism. The case of the Prairieland Nine is another escalation of this judicial violence. The Black Panther Party was infiltrated, and their leadership murdered. COINTELPRO destroyed the Weather Underground. The original Black Lives Matter organizers were found dead in their cars. The Atlanta Forest Defenders were charged with domestic terrorism. Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian student activist at Columbia University, was accused of leading pro-Hamas actions. Now, anti-ICE protesters in Prairieland, Texas have been convicted of terrorism.
This conviction has set a new and terrifying standard for cracking down on the right to assemble and protest. The fact that these comrades used a group chat and wore all black to a protest was used to prove they were members of an “ANTIFA cell.” One comrade had anarchist zines in their car, and others were carrying fireworks in their personal bags. None of these things are technically illegal, and yet they were convicted of providing material support to terrorists, rioting, and carrying explosives.
Most of us have done one or all of these things.
We must learn from these comrades, and change our tactics. We must continue to stand in complete solidarity with everyone facing repression at the hands of an unjust settler state. Anarchists, Maoists, Marxists of all stripes, and any anti-fascist willing to put their body on the line to defend others is a comrade of ours.
Free the Prairieland Nine.
Free Palestine.
Hands off Cuba.
No War but Class War.