A group of seven people allegedly belonging to the German far-left militant group Antifa Ost went on trial on Tuesday, accused for violent actions against far-right activists that earned them the moniker “Hammer Gang”.
International terror listing and prosecution case
Recently, the United States designated the organization as a terrorist group along with several other European far-left and anarchist networks.
German prosecutors state the group was responsible for attacks on sites in the country and neighboring 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 far-right supporters.
Some suspects are allegedly accused of employing hammers against suspected far-right members, causing several with serious injuries.
Trial details and international connections
The trial involving six men and one woman is expected to run until mid-2026 in the city of Dresden. Two defendants, identified as Johann G and Paul M, are additionally accused for violent incidents in Budapest during early 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 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.
Regional context and group hierarchy
Eastern Germany has long been a hotbed for both right-wing extremist and anti-immigrant 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 leftwing extremists practised combat techniques and simulated violent actions. In storage facilities managed by Paul M, the group allegedly accumulated hammers, pepper spray, disguises and mobile phones.
Previous convictions and global responses
A different activist previously active with the organization, Lina E., emerged as 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 United States, blocks financial holdings they may have within the American economy and makes it illegal providing material support to them.
Germany's far-right AfD party welcomed the American move and urged the German administration to take similar action. However, the country's diplomatic office merely commented it had “acknowledged” of the US designation.
“The danger from the [Antifa Ost] group has substantially diminished lately. Key leaders and particularly violent members have either received convictions or remain detained.”
Interior ministry spokesperson
