A group of seven people allegedly belonging to the German far-left militant group the Antifa Ost network went on trial on Tuesday, accused for attacks targeting rightwing extremists that earned them the moniker “Hammer Gang”.
Global terror listing and legal charges
Earlier this month, the United States designated the organization as a terrorist group along with multiple additional left-wing extremist and anarchist groups.
Authorities in Germany state the group was responsible for attacks on locations in Germany and Hungary between 2018 and 2023. Included in the allegations is the repeated targeting of a restaurant owner in central Thuringia, whose establishment reportedly served as a meeting point for rightwing activists.
Some suspects are allegedly accused of using hammers against suspected far-right members, leaving some severely injured.
Court proceedings and international connections
The trial involving six men and one woman is expected to run until mid-2026 in the eastern city of Dresden, Germany. Two defendants, named as Johann G and Paul M, are additionally accused for violent incidents in the Hungarian capital during February 2023, around an yearly gathering called the “day of honour” that attracts rightwing extremists from across Europe.
Separately, a different German individual, Maja T., is currently on trial in the Hungarian judicial system for multiple charges of attempted violent acts against neo-Nazis prior to the identical event in 2023.
Regional context and group hierarchy
The former East Germany has long been a breeding ground for both far-right and anti-immigrant youth organizations, as well as the often militant anti-fascist networks that counter them.
Prosecutors describe Johann G. as a senior figure within Antifa Ost, tasked with planning attacks and bringing in new members.
Together with Paul M., he is accused of organizing training sessions where radical left activists trained in fighting methods and simulated violent actions. At depots overseen by Paul M, the network reportedly stockpiled hammers, irritant sprays, concealment items and communication devices.
Previous convictions and international reactions
Another militant formerly involved with the organization, Lina E, became a cause celebre within certain radical left communities following her conviction in 2023 for attacks on presumed far-right targets.
The US designation renders organization affiliates ineligible to enter the US, blocks financial holdings they could possess within the world’s largest economy and criminalizes providing material support to them.
The German right-wing Alternative for Germany welcomed the American move and called on the government in Berlin to follow suit. However, the country's diplomatic office merely commented it had “taken note” of the American classification.
“The threat from the [Antifa Ost] group has recently decreased significantly. Key leaders and particularly violent members have received convictions or are in custody.”
Interior ministry spokesperson
