A group of seven people accused of being the German far-left militant group the Antifa Ost network began their trial on this week, accused for attacks targeting far-right activists that resulted in the nickname “Hammer Gang”.
Global terror listing and prosecution case
Earlier this month, the US government classified the organization as a terrorist organization together with multiple additional left-wing extremist and anarchist groups.
German prosecutors state the group was behind attacks on locations in Germany and Hungary between 2018 and 2023. Among the incidents is the multiple attacks of a restaurant owner in central Thuringia, whose establishment reportedly served as a gathering spot for rightwing activists.
Some suspects are allegedly accused of using hammers against suspected far-right members, causing several severely injured.
Trial details and international connections
Court proceedings involving six men and one woman is expected to run until July 2026 in the city of Dresden. Two defendants, identified as Johann G and Paul M, also face charges for violent incidents in Budapest during early 2023, around an annual event called the “day of honor” that draws far-right participants from throughout the continent.
Separately, another German activist, Maja T., is currently on trial in the Hungarian judicial system for four counts of attempted violent acts against neo-Nazis in the lead-up to the identical event in that year.
Historical background and organizational structure
Eastern Germany has historically served as a breeding ground for both far-right and anti-immigration youth organizations, as well as the frequently radical anti-fascist networks that counter them.
Prosecutors describe Johann G as a senior figure within the organization, tasked with organizing violent acts and recruiting accomplices.
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 managed by the suspect, the group allegedly accumulated hammers, pepper spray, disguises and communication devices.
Previous convictions and international reactions
A different activist formerly involved with the group, Lina E., emerged as a cause celebre within some far-left activist circles following her 2023 guilty verdict for attacks on presumed far-right targets.
America's terrorist listing renders organization affiliates barred from entering the United States, freezes any assets they could possess within the world’s largest economy and criminalizes providing material support to them.
Germany's far-right AfD party welcomed the US decision and urged the German administration to follow suit. However, the German foreign ministry simply stated it had “acknowledged” of the US designation.
“The danger posed by the organization has substantially diminished lately. Key leaders and particularly violent members have either received convictions or are in custody.”
Interior ministry spokesperson
