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Seven individuals accused of being the left-wing extremist organization Antifa Ost went on trial on this week, accused for attacks targeting rightwing extremists that earned them the moniker “the hammer group”.

Global terrorist designation and prosecution case

Recently, the US government classified Antifa Ost as a terrorist group along with several other European far-left and anarchist networks.

German prosecutors claim the group was behind attacks on sites in Germany and Hungary between 2018 and 2023. Included in the allegations is the repeated targeting of a restaurant owner in Thuringia, whose venue was known as a meeting point for far-right supporters.

Some suspects are said to have employing hammers against presumed rightwing extremists, causing several severely injured.

Court proceedings and international connections

The trial involving seven defendants is expected to run until July 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 draws far-right participants from across Europe.

Separately, a different German individual, Maja T., is facing trial in the Hungarian judicial system for four counts of attempted violent acts against far-right activists 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-immigrant youth groups, as well as the often militant anti-fascist networks that counter them.

Prosecutors describe Johann G. as a senior figure within Antifa Ost, tasked with organizing violent acts and bringing in new members.

Alongside Paul M., he is alleged to have arranged instruction courses where leftwing extremists practised combat techniques and rehearsed attacks. At depots overseen by the suspect, the group reportedly stockpiled hammers, irritant sprays, disguises and mobile phones.

Previous convictions and international reactions

Another militant formerly involved with the organization, Lina E, emerged as a cause celebre within certain radical left communities following her conviction in 2023 for targeting presumed far-right targets.

The US designation renders organization affiliates ineligible to enter the US, freezes any assets they may have 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 follow suit. In contrast, the German foreign ministry merely commented it had “acknowledged” of the US designation.

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

Government representative