A group of seven people allegedly belonging to the German far-left militant group the Antifa Ost network began their trial on Tuesday, facing charges for violent actions against rightwing extremists that resulted in the moniker “Hammer Gang”.
International terrorist designation and legal charges
Recently, the US government classified the organization as a terrorist group along with multiple additional European far-left and anarchist groups.
German prosecutors state the network was behind targeting locations in Germany and Hungary between 2018 and 2023. Included in the allegations is the repeated targeting of a restaurant owner in Thuringia, whose establishment reportedly served as a meeting point for rightwing activists.
Certain individuals are said to have using hammers against suspected far-right members, leaving some with serious injuries.
Trial details and international connections
The trial involving six men and one woman is expected to run until July 2026 in the eastern city of Dresden. Two defendants, identified as Johann G and Paul M, are additionally accused for attacks in Budapest during February 2023, around an annual event known as the “day of honour” that attracts far-right participants from across Europe.
Separately, another German activist, Maja T., is currently on trial in Hungary for multiple charges of attempted assault against neo-Nazis in the lead-up to the identical event in that year.
Historical background and group hierarchy
The former East Germany has historically served as a hotbed for both right-wing extremist and anti-immigration youth groups, as well as the often militant anti-fascist networks that oppose them.
Authorities characterize Johann G. as a senior figure within Antifa Ost, tasked with planning attacks and recruiting accomplices.
Alongside Paul M, he is alleged to have arranged training sessions where radical left activists practised combat techniques and rehearsed attacks. In storage facilities overseen by Paul M, the network reportedly stockpiled hammers, irritant sprays, disguises and communication devices.
Previous convictions and international reactions
A different activist formerly involved with the organization, Lina E., became a symbolic figure within certain radical left communities following her 2023 guilty verdict for attacks on presumed far-right targets.
The US designation makes group members ineligible to enter the US, freezes any assets they may have within the world’s largest economy and criminalizes offering assistance to them.
The German right-wing AfD party welcomed the US decision and urged the government in Berlin to follow suit. 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 substantially diminished lately. Key leaders and most aggressive participants have either received convictions or remain detained.”
Interior ministry representative
