Seven people have gone on trial in Dresden, eastern Germany, charged with being members or supporters of a militant, criminal left-wing extremist group, Antifa Ost - also known as the 'hammer gang'.
Earlier this month, the United States designated Antifa Ost as a terrorist organization, alongside several other far-left European groups.
German prosecutors say the group, founded in late 2017 or early 2018, carried out violent attacks on people they considered to be part of the right-wing scene. The attacks took place in Germany and in the Hungarian capital Budapest.
The six men and one woman on trial face charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault, and property damage.
They have been identified only by their first names, Henry A, Tobias E, Johann G, Thomas J, Melissa K, Paul M, and Julian W, in compliance with German privacy laws.
According to prosecutors, the attacks, which went on for several years, were prepared for 'intensively' and included, for instance, spying on the targets in advance. In several cases, victims were severely injured with blows from a hammer and batons.
One of the seven defendants, Johann G, is charged with having a prominent role in the group. He is accused of having planned the attacks and recruited members. Another defendant, Paul M, is said to have organized combat training for the group.
In one attack, in January 2019, Johann G, Tobias E, and others allegedly attacked four individuals at Germany's Dessau-Rosslau train station who were returning from a rally marking the anniversary of the World War Two bombing of the city.
The defendants are accused of striking victims on the head with heavy tools, including a hammer and an iron bar. Prosecutors assert they continued to inflict life-threatening blows even after the victims were incapacitated.
Johann G and Paul M are also accused of participating in attacks in Budapest in February 2023, targeting right-wing extremists who had gathered to commemorate a controversial historical event.
The U.S. designation of Antifa Ost as a terrorist group was part of President Donald Trump's broader crackdown on extreme-left activists. This classification renders group members ineligible to enter the U.S., freezes any assets they may hold in the country, and criminalizes providing material support to them.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party welcomed this action, arguing for similar measures in Germany, with members citing the need to combat all forms of extremism.
The German foreign ministry has acknowledged the U.S. decision, yet the responses and repercussions of these developments continue to unfold.
