A group of seven people allegedly belonging to the German far-left militant group Antifa Ost began their trial on Tuesday, facing charges for attacks targeting far-right activists that earned them the moniker “Hammer Gang”.
Global terror listing and legal charges
Recently, the United States designated Antifa Ost as a terrorist group together with several other left-wing extremist and anarchist groups.
German prosecutors state the network was responsible for attacks on sites in Germany and Hungary between 2018 and 2023. Among the incidents is the repeated targeting of a business proprietor in Thuringia, whose establishment reportedly served as a gathering spot for rightwing activists.
Certain individuals are allegedly accused of employing hammers against presumed rightwing extremists, causing several severely injured.
Trial details and international connections
The trial involving seven defendants is scheduled to continue until mid-2026 in the city of Dresden. A pair of suspects, named as Johann G. and Paul M., are additionally accused for violent incidents in the Hungarian capital during February 2023, coinciding with an annual event known as the “day of honour” that draws rightwing extremists from throughout the continent.
In a related case, another German activist, Maja T., is facing trial in Hungary for four counts of attempted violent acts against far-right activists in the lead-up to the same rally in that year.
Historical background and group hierarchy
Eastern Germany has long been a breeding ground for both right-wing extremist and anti-immigrant youth organizations, as well as the frequently radical anti-fascist networks that counter them.
Authorities characterize Johann G. as a high-ranking member within Antifa Ost, tasked with planning attacks and bringing in new members.
Alongside Paul M, he is alleged to have arranged instruction courses where leftwing extremists trained in fighting methods and simulated violent actions. At depots managed by the suspect, the group allegedly accumulated tools, pepper spray, concealment items and communication devices.
Previous convictions and international reactions
Another militant previously active with the organization, Lina E., emerged as a symbolic figure within some far-left activist circles following her 2023 guilty verdict for attacks on suspected right-wing individuals.
The US designation makes group members ineligible to enter the US, freezes any assets they could possess within the world’s largest economy and criminalizes providing material support to them.
The German right-wing AfD party welcomed the American move and called on the German administration to take similar action. In contrast, the country's diplomatic office merely commented it had “taken note” of the US designation.
“The danger posed by the organization has substantially diminished lately. The ringleaders and most aggressive participants have already been convicted or remain detained.”
Government spokesperson
