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, along with several other far-left European groups.
German prosecutors say the group, founded in late 2017 or early 2018, carried out violent attacks on those they considered part of the right-wing scene. The attacks occurred in Germany and Budapest.
The six men and one woman on trial face charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault, and property damage.
They have been named only as Henry A, Tobias E, Johann G, Thomas J, Melissa K, Paul M, and Julian W, in line with German privacy laws.
Prosecutors allege that the attacks involved meticulous preparation, including spying on victims. In several instances, victims sustained serious injuries from blows delivered with hammers and batons.
Johann G is noted as a ringleader, charged with orchestrating attacks and recruiting new members, while Paul M is accused of organizing combat training.
One such attack, in January 2019, involved Johann G and others assaulting four individuals returning from a rally in Germany, inflicting life-threatening injuries even after the victims were incapacitated.
Further accusations detail attacks conducted in Budapest in February 2023, where Johann G and Paul M allegedly assaulted right-wing activists using various weapons.
Designation by the U.S. as a terrorist group has significant implications, freezing assets and restricting entry into the United States. This designation was praised by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which urges the German government to take similar action.
Both Johann G and Paul M have become focal points in the ongoing examination of left-wing extremism and its implications for security policies in Germany.
