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Seven individuals accused of being the left-wing extremist organization the Antifa Ost network went on trial on Tuesday, accused for attacks targeting rightwing extremists that resulted in the moniker “the hammer group”.

International terrorist designation and legal charges

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

German prosecutors claim the group was behind targeting locations in the country and Hungary between 2018 and 2023. Among the incidents is the multiple attacks of a business proprietor in central Thuringia, whose establishment reportedly served as a meeting point for far-right supporters.

Some suspects are allegedly accused of employing hammers against presumed rightwing extremists, causing several severely injured.

Trial details and international connections

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

In a related case, a different German individual, Maja T, is currently on trial in the Hungarian judicial system for multiple charges of attempted assault against neo-Nazis prior to the identical event in 2023.

Historical background and organizational structure

The former East Germany has historically served as a breeding ground 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 high-ranking member within the organization, tasked with planning attacks and recruiting accomplices.

Together with Paul M., he is accused of organizing training sessions where radical left activists practised combat techniques and simulated violent actions. In storage facilities overseen by the suspect, the group reportedly stockpiled hammers, pepper spray, concealment items and communication devices.

Prior legal cases and international reactions

A different activist formerly involved with the group, Lina E, emerged as a symbolic figure within certain radical left communities following her 2023 guilty verdict for targeting presumed far-right targets.

The US designation renders organization affiliates barred from entering the US, freezes any assets they could possess within the world’s largest economy and criminalizes offering assistance to them.

The German right-wing Alternative for Germany welcomed the US decision and urged the German administration to follow suit. However, the country's diplomatic office simply stated it had “taken note” of the American classification.

“The threat posed by the organization has substantially diminished lately. The ringleaders and most aggressive participants have either already been convicted or remain detained.”

Interior ministry representative