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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 nickname “Hammer Gang”.

Global terror listing and legal charges

Earlier this month, the United States designated Antifa Ost as a terrorist group together with multiple additional European far-left and anarchist groups.

Authorities in Germany claim the group was responsible for targeting locations in the country and neighboring Hungary between 2018 and 2023. Among the incidents is the repeated targeting of a restaurant owner in Thuringia, whose venue reportedly served as a meeting point for far-right supporters.

Some suspects are allegedly accused of using hammers against presumed rightwing extremists, causing several with serious injuries.

Trial details and international connections

Court proceedings involving six men and one woman is expected to run until July 2026 in the eastern city of Dresden. A pair of suspects, named as Johann G and Paul M., are additionally accused for attacks in Budapest during early 2023, around an annual event known as the “day of honor” that draws rightwing extremists from across Europe.

In a related case, 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 same rally in 2023.

Historical background and organizational structure

The former East Germany has long been a hotbed for both far-right and anti-immigration youth organizations, 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 bringing in new members.

Alongside Paul M., he is alleged to have arranged training sessions where radical left activists trained in fighting methods and rehearsed attacks. In storage facilities overseen by the suspect, the network reportedly stockpiled hammers, irritant sprays, concealment items and mobile phones.

Previous convictions and international reactions

A different activist formerly involved with the group, Lina E, became a symbolic figure within certain radical left communities following her 2023 guilty verdict for attacks on suspected right-wing individuals.

The US designation renders organization affiliates ineligible to enter the United States, blocks financial holdings they could possess within the world’s largest economy and makes it illegal providing material support to them.

Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany welcomed the US decision and called on the government in Berlin to follow suit. 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. The ringleaders and particularly violent members have already been convicted or remain detained.”

Interior ministry spokesperson