New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR) apologized Sunday for sponsoring a loony, leftist anarchist book fair in Hanover, New Hampshire. The October 10 gathering had advertised support for defendants convicted in connection with an attack on an ICE detention facility in Texas.

The station acknowledged violating its ethics policy. NHPR had accepted an invitation to sponsor the Live Free Anarchist Book Fair and operate a table, despite organizers openly promoting "Solidarity with the Prairieland Defendants."

The federal case grew out of a July 4, 2025, confrontation at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado. Members of a North Texas antifa cell brought 11 firearms, explosives, body armor, and medical supplies. Prosecutors introduced encrypted messages detailing preparations, including property surveillance and efforts to prevent phone tracking.

Fireworks were thrown at the facility. Vehicles were vandalized. Benjamin Hanil Song fired on police responding to the disturbance, striking an Alvarado officer in the neck.

Song was convicted of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer and sentenced to 100 years in prison. Ines Soto, whom prosecutors identified as the head of ANTIFA DFW, received 50 years. By July 2026, 15 defendants had received combined sentences exceeding 556 years.

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The Justice Department's sentencing announcement described the shooting:

Witnesses testified that an Alvarado police officer responded to the scene after correctional officers called 911. When the officer began issuing commands to defendant Nathan Baumann, Benjamin Song can be heard on police bodycam video yelling, 'get to the rifles!' and then he opened fire on the officers, striking the Alvarado police officer in the neck as the unarmed correctional officers ducked and ran for cover.

RedState covered the case at the time.

Yet the book fair's organizers decided those defendants deserved a public show of solidarity, and NHPR decided the fair deserved its sponsorship.

Independent journalist Karlyn Borysenko brought attention to the station's involvement. The response from NHPR followed quickly.

The station's October 11 statement conceded the sponsorship was a mistake, then distanced its journalists from the decision.

NHPR erred in accepting an invitation to sponsor and host a table at the Anarchist Book Fair in Hanover on Saturday. Our code of ethics (http://NHPR.org/ethics) makes clear that we should not compromise the integrity of our journalism by involvement in anything that can be viewed as political. No one from NHPR’s newsroom was aware of or involved in the decision to participate in this event. 

We remain committed to our mission of independent, trustworthy journalism for everyone in New Hampshire, and we are evaluating our internal processes to ensure mistakes like this don’t happen again.

NHPR President and CEO Jim Schachter hasn't identified who authorized the sponsorship. Nor has the station explained whether money changed hands or which employees worked the table.

Democrat State Rep. Alissandra Murray (D-20) helped establish the Live Free Autonomy Collective, the organizer of Saturday's fair. Also advertised: the Northeast Anarchist Union, Workers Congress of New Hampshire, and Socialist Rifle Association NH. The fair promoted radical books and political education while supporting the Prairieland defendants.

NHPR's ethics code was updated in March 2025. It restricts political involvement that could compromise the station's independence, including promotional activities. Those restrictions applied when the station approved the sponsorship.

Schachter has promised to review NHPR's internal procedures. The station has not identified who received the invitation or what information was reviewed before accepting it. Its own public statement acknowledges that participating crossed an ethical line.