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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, facing charges for violent actions against far-right activists that earned them the moniker “the hammer group”.

Global terrorist designation and prosecution case

Recently, the United States classified Antifa Ost as a terrorist organization together with multiple additional left-wing extremist and anarchist networks.

Authorities in Germany state the network was behind targeting locations in Germany and neighboring Hungary between 2018 and 2023. Among the incidents is the repeated targeting of a business proprietor in central Thuringia, whose venue reportedly served as a gathering spot for rightwing activists.

Certain individuals are said to have employing hammers against presumed rightwing extremists, leaving some severely injured.

Court proceedings and international connections

The trial involving six men and one woman is scheduled to continue until mid-2026 in the eastern 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, coinciding with an yearly gathering called the “day of honor” that attracts far-right participants from across Europe.

In a related case, another German activist, Maja T., is facing trial in Hungary for multiple charges of attempted violent acts against neo-Nazis in the lead-up to the identical event in 2023.

Historical background and group hierarchy

Eastern 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 oppose them.

Prosecutors describe Johann G. as a senior figure within Antifa Ost, tasked with organizing violent acts and recruiting accomplices.

Alongside Paul M, he is alleged to have arranged instruction courses where radical left activists practised combat techniques and simulated violent actions. In storage facilities managed by Paul M, the group reportedly stockpiled tools, irritant sprays, disguises and mobile phones.

Previous convictions and global responses

A different activist previously active with the group, Lina E, emerged as a cause celebre within some far-left activist circles following her 2023 guilty verdict for targeting suspected right-wing individuals.

The US designation makes group members barred from entering the United States, freezes any assets they may have within the American economy and makes it illegal offering assistance to them.

Germany's far-right AfD party welcomed the American move and called on the government in Berlin to follow suit. In contrast, the country's diplomatic office merely commented it had “acknowledged” of the American classification.

“The threat posed by the organization has substantially diminished lately. The ringleaders and particularly violent members have received convictions or remain detained.”

Government spokesperson