Alex Stokes Contompasis is an independent journalist and artist from Albany, NY. Alex’s work documenting social unrest began in 2014, when he started hosting a local public access channel called News World: Albany Banana Corps. He and others commented on news stories and filmed demonstrations against police brutality, environmental issues and other local matters, as well as music performances and public events and meetings. He interviewed local activists and politicians, law enforcement officers, and concerned citizens.

He was arrested in 2017 in Washington DC during the Disrupt 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. Prior to 2021, he was taking classes to prepare to become an Emergency Medical Technician.

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 previous violent criminal history, with lifelong ties to the community, was issued a sentence far more severe than most who commit reckless and premeditated acts of violence. His sentence is longer than those who assaulted a police officer at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 and those that organized the insurrection itself.

Alex and Dr. Cornell West, August 2017. Charlottesville, VA

News World 7th Year Anniversary Episode

Below is a slideshow with links to various videos from his collection. These videos were created by Alex and this website does not own the rights to the music featured.