Then They Came for the Anarchists: Prairieland Defendants Sentenced to 562 Years Judge Reed O’Connor reportedly said at sentencing that he “wants to send a message to anyone else with similar ideology.” This ideology, in the words of FBI Director Kash Patel, is “Antifa-aligned anarchis[m].” Federal judges Mark Pittman and Reed O’Connor handed down the final sentences for activists connected to a July 2025 protest outside the Prairieland Detention Center. According to the defendants, the Prairieland 9 intended to hold an ordinary noise demonstration and shoot off July 4th fireworks in solidarity with immigration detainees, until a police officer drew his gun on a fleeing protester. According to the federal prosecutors, the defendants were the members of a murderous “North Texas Antifa Cell.” All together, the Prairieland defendants received over 562 years in federal prison — the longest sentence a U.S. court has ever given to a group of political anarchist defendants. Full story at our website – link in bio.