A group of seven people accused of being the left-wing extremist organization the Antifa Ost network went on trial on Tuesday, accused for attacks targeting rightwing extremists that resulted in the nickname “Hammer Gang”.
Global terror listing and prosecution case
Earlier this month, the US government classified Antifa Ost as a terrorist organization along with multiple additional European far-left and anarchist groups.
German prosecutors claim the group was behind targeting sites in Germany and Hungary from 2018 through 2023. Among the incidents is the repeated targeting of a restaurant owner in Thuringia, whose venue was known as a gathering spot for rightwing activists.
Some suspects are allegedly accused of employing hammers against suspected far-right members, causing several with serious injuries.
Trial details and international connections
The trial involving six men and one woman is expected to run until mid-2026 in the city of Dresden, Germany. A pair of suspects, named as Johann G and Paul M, are additionally accused for violent incidents in Budapest during February 2023, around an yearly gathering called the “day of honour” that attracts far-right participants from across Europe.
Separately, another German activist, Maja T., is currently on trial in the Hungarian judicial system for multiple charges of attempted violent acts against neo-Nazis in the lead-up to the same rally in 2023.
Regional context and group hierarchy
Eastern Germany has historically served as a hotbed for both right-wing extremist and anti-immigration youth organizations, as well as the often militant antifascist groups that counter 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 accused of organizing training sessions where radical left activists practised combat techniques and rehearsed attacks. At depots overseen by Paul M, the network reportedly stockpiled hammers, irritant sprays, disguises and communication devices.
Previous convictions and global responses
Another militant previously active with the organization, Lina E., emerged as a cause celebre 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, blocks financial holdings they could possess within the American economy and makes it illegal providing material support to them.
Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany applauded the American move and called on the government in Berlin to follow suit. In contrast, the country's diplomatic office merely commented it had “acknowledged” of the American classification.
“The threat from the organization has recently decreased significantly. Key leaders and particularly violent members have already been convicted or are in custody.”
Interior ministry spokesperson
