A group of seven people allegedly belonging to the left-wing extremist organization Antifa Ost began their trial on Tuesday, accused for attacks targeting far-right activists that earned them the moniker “Hammer Gang”.
Global terrorist designation and prosecution case
Earlier this month, the US government classified Antifa Ost as a terrorist organization together with several other European far-left and anarchist networks.
German prosecutors state the group was behind attacks on locations in Germany and neighboring Hungary from 2018 through 2023. Included in the allegations is the multiple attacks of a restaurant owner in central Thuringia, whose venue was known as a gathering spot for rightwing activists.
Certain individuals are said to have using hammers against presumed rightwing extremists, causing several with serious injuries.
Court proceedings and cross-border allegations
The trial involving six men and one woman is scheduled to continue until mid-2026 in the city of Dresden, Germany. A pair of suspects, identified as Johann G and Paul M, also face charges for attacks in the Hungarian capital during February 2023, around an annual event called the “day of honour” that draws far-right participants from across Europe.
In a related case, another German activist, Maja T, is currently on trial in the Hungarian judicial system for four counts of attempted violent acts against neo-Nazis in the lead-up to the same rally in that year.
Historical background and group hierarchy
The former East Germany has long been a breeding ground for both far-right and anti-immigration youth organizations, as well as the often militant antifascist groups that oppose them.
Prosecutors describe Johann G as a high-ranking member within the organization, responsible for organizing violent acts and bringing in new members.
Alongside Paul M., he is alleged to have arranged training sessions where radical left activists trained in fighting methods and rehearsed attacks. In storage facilities overseen by Paul M, the group reportedly stockpiled tools, pepper spray, concealment items and communication devices.
Prior legal cases and international reactions
Another militant formerly involved with the group, Lina E, became a cause celebre within certain radical left communities following her 2023 guilty verdict for attacks on presumed far-right targets.
The US designation renders organization affiliates ineligible to enter the United States, freezes any assets they could possess within the American economy and makes it illegal offering assistance to them.
Germany's far-right AfD party welcomed the US decision and urged the German administration to take similar action. In contrast, the country's diplomatic office simply stated it had “taken note” of the American classification.
“The danger posed by the organization has recently decreased significantly. The ringleaders and most aggressive participants have either received convictions or remain detained.”
Interior ministry representative
