Seven individuals allegedly belonging to the left-wing extremist organization Antifa Ost began their trial on Tuesday, accused for attacks targeting rightwing extremists that earned them the nickname “Hammer Gang”.
Global terror listing and prosecution case
Earlier this month, the US government designated the organization as a terrorist group together with multiple additional European far-left and anarchist groups.
German prosecutors state the group was responsible for attacks on sites in the country and neighboring Hungary between 2018 and 2023. Included in the allegations is the repeated targeting of a restaurant owner in Thuringia, whose venue reportedly served as a gathering spot for far-right supporters.
Certain individuals are allegedly accused of using hammers against presumed rightwing extremists, causing several with serious injuries.
Trial details and cross-border allegations
Court proceedings involving six men and one woman is scheduled to continue until mid-2026 in the city of Dresden, Germany. Two defendants, identified as Johann G and Paul M., are additionally accused for violent incidents in Budapest during early 2023, around an yearly gathering called the “day of honour” that draws far-right participants from throughout the continent.
Separately, a different German individual, Maja T, is facing trial in Hungary for multiple charges of attempted assault against far-right activists in the lead-up to the same rally in 2023.
Historical background and organizational structure
The former East 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 oppose them.
Prosecutors describe Johann G as a senior figure within Antifa Ost, responsible for planning attacks and recruiting accomplices.
Alongside Paul M, he is alleged to have arranged training sessions where radical left activists practised combat techniques and simulated violent actions. In storage facilities managed by the suspect, the network allegedly accumulated hammers, pepper spray, disguises and mobile phones.
Previous convictions and global responses
A different activist previously active with the organization, Lina E., became a symbolic figure within some far-left activist circles following her 2023 guilty verdict for attacks on presumed far-right targets.
The US designation renders organization affiliates ineligible to enter the US, blocks financial holdings they may have within the world’s largest economy and makes it illegal providing material support to them.
The German right-wing AfD party applauded the US decision and called on the government in Berlin to take similar action. In contrast, the country's diplomatic office merely commented it had “taken note” of the American classification.
“The danger posed by the [Antifa Ost] group has recently decreased significantly. The ringleaders and most aggressive participants have received convictions or are in custody.”
Interior ministry representative
