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Seven individuals allegedly belonging to the German far-left militant group Antifa Ost began their trial on this week, accused for violent actions against far-right activists that resulted in the nickname “Hammer Gang”.

Global terror listing and legal charges

Earlier this month, the US government classified Antifa Ost as a terrorist group together with multiple additional left-wing extremist and anarchist groups.

Authorities in Germany claim the network was behind attacks on sites in the country and neighboring Hungary from 2018 through 2023. Among the incidents is the multiple attacks of a business proprietor in central Thuringia, whose establishment was known as a gathering spot for rightwing activists.

Certain individuals are said to have using hammers against suspected far-right members, leaving some severely injured.

Court proceedings and cross-border allegations

Court proceedings involving six men and one woman is scheduled to continue until mid-2026 in the city of Dresden. Two defendants, identified as Johann G and Paul M., are additionally accused for violent incidents in the Hungarian capital during early 2023, around an annual event called the “day of honor” that attracts rightwing extremists from across Europe.

Separately, another German activist, Maja T, is facing trial in Hungary for multiple charges of attempted assault against neo-Nazis prior to the identical event in 2023.

Regional context and organizational structure

Eastern Germany has long been a hotbed for both far-right and anti-immigration youth groups, as well as the often militant antifascist groups that counter them.

Prosecutors describe Johann G as a high-ranking member within the organization, tasked with planning attacks and recruiting accomplices.

Together with Paul M, he is alleged to have arranged training sessions where radical left activists practised combat techniques and rehearsed attacks. At depots overseen by the suspect, the group allegedly accumulated hammers, irritant sprays, disguises and communication devices.

Prior legal cases and international reactions

Another militant previously active with the group, Lina E, emerged as a symbolic figure within some far-left activist circles following her 2023 guilty verdict for targeting presumed far-right targets.

America's terrorist listing renders organization affiliates ineligible to enter the US, blocks financial holdings they could possess within the world’s largest economy and makes it illegal offering assistance to them.

Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany welcomed the American move and called on the government in Berlin to follow suit. In contrast, the German foreign ministry simply stated it had “taken note” of the US designation.

“The threat posed by the [Antifa Ost] group has substantially diminished lately. Key leaders and particularly violent members have received convictions or are in custody.”

Interior ministry spokesperson