A group of seven people allegedly belonging to the left-wing extremist organization the Antifa Ost network went on trial on this week, accused for attacks targeting rightwing extremists that earned them the nickname “Hammer Gang”.
International terror listing and prosecution case
Recently, the US government classified Antifa Ost as a terrorist group along with multiple additional European far-left and anarchist networks.
Authorities in Germany state the network was behind targeting sites in the country and Hungary between 2018 and 2023. Included in the allegations 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 said to have using hammers against presumed rightwing extremists, causing several with serious injuries.
Trial details and cross-border allegations
The trial involving six men and one woman is expected to run until mid-2026 in the city of Dresden. A pair of suspects, identified as Johann G and Paul M, also face charges for attacks in the Hungarian capital during February 2023, coinciding with an annual event known as the “day of honor” that attracts far-right participants from across Europe.
Separately, another German activist, Maja T., is facing trial in Hungary for multiple charges of attempted violent acts against far-right activists prior to the same rally in that year.
Historical background and group hierarchy
The former East Germany has long been a breeding ground for both far-right and anti-immigration youth groups, as well as the often militant anti-fascist networks that counter them.
Prosecutors describe Johann G as a high-ranking member within Antifa Ost, responsible for planning attacks and recruiting accomplices.
Alongside Paul M, he is alleged to have arranged training sessions where radical left activists trained in fighting methods and rehearsed attacks. At depots overseen by the suspect, the group allegedly accumulated tools, pepper spray, concealment items and communication devices.
Prior legal cases and international reactions
Another militant formerly involved with the organization, Lina E., became a symbolic figure within some far-left activist circles following her conviction in 2023 for attacks on 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 criminalizes providing material support to them.
Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany welcomed the American move and urged the government in Berlin to take similar action. In contrast, the country's diplomatic office merely commented it had “acknowledged” of the US designation.
“The threat posed by the [Antifa Ost] group has recently decreased significantly. Key leaders and particularly violent members have either received convictions or are in custody.”
Government spokesperson
