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A group of seven people allegedly belonging to the German far-left militant group Antifa Ost began their trial on this week, facing charges for attacks targeting far-right activists that earned them the moniker “Hammer Gang”.

Global terror listing and prosecution case

Recently, the US government designated Antifa Ost as a terrorist organization together with multiple additional European far-left and anarchist networks.

German prosecutors state the group was behind targeting locations in the country and Hungary from 2018 through 2023. Included in the allegations 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 severely injured.

Trial details and cross-border allegations

The trial involving seven defendants is scheduled to continue until July 2026 in the eastern city of Dresden, Germany. A pair of suspects, identified as Johann G and Paul M., are additionally accused for attacks in Budapest during February 2023, around an yearly gathering known as the “day of honor” that draws far-right participants from throughout the continent.

Separately, another German activist, Maja T., is facing trial in the Hungarian judicial system for four counts of attempted assault against neo-Nazis in the lead-up to the identical event in 2023.

Historical background and organizational structure

The former East Germany has long been a hotbed for both right-wing extremist and anti-immigrant youth organizations, as well as the often militant antifascist groups that counter them.

Prosecutors describe Johann G as a senior figure within Antifa Ost, responsible for planning attacks and bringing in new members.

Alongside Paul M., he is accused of organizing instruction courses where radical left activists trained in fighting methods and rehearsed attacks. At depots overseen by the suspect, the group allegedly accumulated hammers, irritant sprays, concealment items and communication devices.

Prior legal cases and international reactions

Another militant previously active with the group, Lina E, emerged as a cause celebre within some far-left activist circles following her conviction in 2023 for targeting suspected right-wing individuals.

America's terrorist listing renders organization affiliates ineligible to enter the United States, freezes any assets they could possess within the world’s largest economy and makes it illegal offering assistance to them.

The German right-wing AfD party applauded the US decision and called on the government in Berlin to follow suit. However, the German foreign ministry merely commented it had “acknowledged” of the US designation.

“The threat posed by the [Antifa Ost] group has recently decreased significantly. The ringleaders and most aggressive participants have already been convicted or remain detained.”

Interior ministry representative