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Seven individuals accused of being the left-wing extremist organization the Antifa Ost network began their trial on Tuesday, accused for attacks targeting rightwing extremists that earned them the nickname “the hammer group”.

Global terror listing and legal charges

Recently, the United States designated the organization as a terrorist group together with multiple additional left-wing extremist and anarchist groups.

German prosecutors claim the network was behind attacks on locations in Germany and Hungary between 2018 and 2023. Among the incidents is the multiple attacks of a restaurant owner in Thuringia, whose establishment was known as a meeting point for rightwing activists.

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

Court proceedings and international connections

The trial involving six men and one woman is expected to run until mid-2026 in the city of Dresden. Two defendants, named as Johann G and Paul M, also face charges for attacks in Budapest during February 2023, coinciding with an yearly gathering called the “day of honor” that attracts far-right participants from across Europe.

In a related case, a different German individual, Maja T, is currently on trial in Hungary for four counts of attempted violent acts against neo-Nazis prior to the identical event in that year.

Historical background and organizational structure

Eastern Germany has long been a breeding ground for both right-wing extremist and anti-immigrant youth organizations, as well as the frequently radical anti-fascist networks that counter them.

Authorities characterize Johann G. as a senior figure within the organization, responsible for planning attacks and recruiting accomplices.

Together with Paul M, he is alleged to have arranged training sessions where radical left activists trained in fighting methods and simulated violent actions. In storage facilities managed by Paul M, the group allegedly accumulated hammers, irritant sprays, concealment items and communication devices.

Previous convictions and global responses

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

America's terrorist listing makes group members barred from entering the United States, blocks financial holdings they could possess within the world’s largest economy and makes it illegal offering assistance to them.

Germany's far-right AfD party welcomed the American move and called on the German administration to take similar action. However, the country's diplomatic office merely commented it had “taken note” of the American classification.

“The danger posed by the [Antifa Ost] group has recently decreased significantly. The ringleaders and particularly violent members have either already been convicted or remain detained.”

Government representative