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A group of seven people allegedly belonging to the German far-left militant group Antifa Ost went on trial on this week, facing charges for attacks targeting far-right activists that resulted in the moniker “Hammer Gang”.

International terror listing and legal charges

Recently, the US government designated the organization as a terrorist group together with several other left-wing extremist and anarchist networks.

Authorities in Germany claim the network 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 Thuringia, whose establishment reportedly served as a meeting point for rightwing activists.

Some suspects are allegedly accused of employing hammers against suspected far-right members, leaving some with serious injuries.

Court proceedings and cross-border allegations

The trial involving six men and one woman is scheduled to continue until mid-2026 in the eastern city of Dresden, Germany. Two defendants, identified as Johann G and Paul M, also face charges for attacks in the Hungarian capital during early 2023, coinciding with an annual event known as 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 four counts 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 right-wing extremist and anti-immigrant youth organizations, as well as the often militant antifascist groups that oppose them.

Authorities characterize Johann G as a high-ranking member within the organization, tasked with organizing violent acts and recruiting accomplices.

Together with Paul M., he is accused of organizing training sessions where radical left activists practised combat techniques and rehearsed attacks. At depots managed by the suspect, the group reportedly stockpiled hammers, irritant sprays, concealment items and mobile phones.

Previous convictions and international reactions

A different activist previously active with the organization, Lina E, emerged as a symbolic figure within some far-left activist circles following her 2023 guilty verdict for attacks on presumed far-right targets.

The US designation renders organization affiliates ineligible to enter the US, freezes any assets they may have within the American economy and makes it illegal providing material support to them.

The German right-wing AfD party welcomed the American move and urged the German administration to follow suit. In contrast, the country's diplomatic office merely commented it had “acknowledged” of the American classification.

“The threat from the [Antifa Ost] group has substantially diminished lately. The ringleaders and particularly violent members have received convictions or remain detained.”

Government spokesperson