🔗 Share this article

A group of seven people allegedly belonging to the left-wing extremist organization Antifa Ost began their trial on Tuesday, accused for attacks targeting rightwing extremists that resulted in the nickname “Hammer Gang”.

Global terror listing and legal charges

Recently, the United States classified Antifa Ost as a terrorist group along with multiple additional European far-left and anarchist networks.

German prosecutors claim the group was responsible for attacks on locations in Germany and neighboring Hungary between 2018 and 2023. Among the incidents is the repeated targeting of a business proprietor in Thuringia, whose venue reportedly served as a gathering spot for rightwing activists.

Some suspects are allegedly accused of employing hammers against suspected far-right members, leaving some severely injured.

Court proceedings and cross-border allegations

Court proceedings involving six men and one woman is expected to run until mid-2026 in the eastern city of Dresden, Germany. A pair of suspects, named as Johann G and Paul M., are additionally accused for attacks in the Hungarian capital during February 2023, around an yearly gathering called the “day of honour” that attracts far-right participants from across Europe.

In a related case, another German activist, Maja T., is facing trial in Hungary for multiple charges of attempted assault against far-right activists in the lead-up to the identical event in that year.

Historical background and group hierarchy

Eastern Germany has long been a breeding ground for both far-right and anti-immigrant youth groups, as well as the frequently radical anti-fascist networks that counter them.

Prosecutors describe Johann G. as a high-ranking member within Antifa Ost, responsible for organizing violent acts and bringing in new members.

Together with Paul M, he is accused of organizing instruction courses where radical left activists trained in fighting methods and rehearsed attacks. In storage facilities overseen by the suspect, the network reportedly stockpiled hammers, pepper spray, concealment items and mobile phones.

Previous convictions and global responses

Another militant 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 makes group members barred from entering the United States, freezes any assets they could possess within the American economy and makes it illegal providing material support to them.

Germany's far-right AfD party applauded the American move and called on the government in Berlin to take similar action. In contrast, the German foreign ministry simply stated it had “acknowledged” of the American classification.

“The danger from the organization has substantially diminished lately. The ringleaders and particularly violent members have already been convicted or are in custody.”

Interior ministry spokesperson