Alex Stokes moved to new prison

Political prisoner Alexander Stokes has been moved to a new prison- another maximum security prison and an infamous one: Sing Sing prison. His birthday is coming up on February 26th and transfers are always rough so shoot him a letter or card if you can.

Alex Contompasis #22B5028
Sing Sing Correctional Facility
354 Hunter Street
Ossining, NY 10562

Alex received a 20 year sentence and is not eligible for parole until 2039. You can donate to his support fund at https://freealexstokes.com/donate

https://www.abcf.net/blog/alex-stokes-moved-to-new-prison/

#FreeAlexStokes

Alex Stokes Moved to New Prison

Political prisoner Alexander Stokes has been moved to a new prison- another maximum security prison and an infamous one: Sing Sing prison. His birthday is coming up on February 26th and transfers are always rough so shoot him a letter or card if you can.

Alex Contompasis #22B5028
Sing Sing Correctional Facility
354 Hunter Street
Ossining, NY 10562

Alex received a 20 year sentence and is not eligible for parole until 2039. You can donate to his support fund at https://freealexstokes.com/donate

Background:
Alex Stokes Contompasis is a journalist and artist from Albany, NY. Alex’s work documenting social unrest began in 2014. He was arrested in 2017 in Washington DC during the J20 inaugural protests and co-represented over 200 counter-protestors and independent journalists that were rounded up and falsely charged. He was in Charlottesville, VA during the summer protests in 2017. He routinely attended and recorded Black Lives Matter protests in Albany in 2020. He also regularly revealed local white supremacist groups and members.

On January 6, 2021, protestors gathered outside the New York State Capitol in Albany, NY in support of the Stop the Steal rally in Washington DC. A handful of counter protesters spoke out against them and a melee broke out after a Proud Boy tased a Black man in the neck. Alex was watching from the sidelines and ran to help others. Police did not intervene until the violence had ended and ultimately arrested three Black activists. Alex was charged with several violent felonies. The Proud Boys that engaged in the violence were not arrested at the scene.

Alex’s family and friends maintain that he was railroaded by the system. He was a journalist under a court-ordered gag-order for over a year. His previous work and experience with dangerous hate groups were inadmissible for his defense, but the prosecution picked apart his social media accounts and portrayed his actions as premeditated. He was found guilty on all charges and sentenced to 20 years in prison, despite the fact that no one died and neither of the victims received life-altering injuries. One even began a job as an EMT just 6 weeks later.

A man with no violent criminal history, and with lifelong ties to the community, was issued a sentence far more severe than most who commit reckless acts of violence and orchestrated the insurrection itself.

Source: https://www.abcf.net/blog/alex-stokes-moved-to-new-prison/

from Philly ABC

Philly ABC is back with our regular letter-writing events this month featuring Alex Stokes, an antifascist prisoner sentenced to 20 years for defending himself and others from armed Proud Boys at the New York State Capitol on January 6th.

Alex is a journalist and artist from Albany, NY. He began documenting social unrest in 2014, and was arrested with over 200 protestors and independent journalists during #DisruptJ20 in Washington DC. He was injured during the 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, VA, and has routinely attended Black Lives Matter protests in Albany throughout 2020. He also regularly exposed local white supremacist groups and members.

On January 6, 2021, multiple members of the Proud Boys—a nationwide far-right gang—gathered outside the New York State Capitol in Albany, NY in support of the larger “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington DC. A fight broke out with counter-protestors as one Proud Boy tased a Black man who had his hands in his pockets, and another beating a woman over the head with a flag pole. Alex was watching from the sidelines and ran to help those being attacked, at which point he was also assaulted and managed to fend off multiple attackers, injuring two of them, and helped get other victims away from the fray. The Proud Boys involved did not receive any charges. Alex was charged with first-degree assault, among other charges.

In November 2022, despite video evidence from multiple angles showing this very clear cut case of self defense, and despite the fact that no one died or received life-altering injuries, Alex was found guilty and sentenced to 20 years in prison. His previous work and experience with exposing dangerous hate groups was inadmissible for his defense. The prosecution picked apart his social media accounts and portrayed his actions as premeditated. Alex is currently appealing the sentence. A fundraiser has been launched by the International Anti-Fascist Defence Fund to ensure that his appeal case does not lack financial resources.

Join us this Monday at 6:30pm, at Iffy Books (319 N. 11th St. #3E). Snacks and letter-writing supplies will be provided. If you cannot make the event, please send Alex some love at:

Alex Contompasis #22B5028 Elmira Correctional Facility PO Box 500 Elmira, New York 14901

We’ll also be signing birthday cards for political prisoners with birthdays in February: Veronza Bowers (February 4th), Kamau Sadiki (February 19th), and Oso Blanco (February 25th).

#22b5028 #3e

https://phlanticap.noblogs.org/monday-february-6th-letter-writing-for-alex-stokes/