A Hungarian court has sentenced a German national to eight years in prison after finding him guilty of participating in violent attacks in Budapest in 2023 as part of the far-left extremist network known as the Hammer Gang.
On Wednesday, the Budapest City Court ruled that 25-year-old Maja T. took part in politically-motivated assaults carried out in the Hungarian capital between Feb. 9 and Feb. 11, 2023. The court convicted him of attempted life-threatening assault and membership in a criminal organization.
According to prosecutors, around 20 suspected left-wing extremists carried out attacks at multiple locations across Budapest, targeting individuals they believed were attending or connected to the so-called “Day of Honor,” an annual event commemorating German and Hungarian forces who attempted to break out of Budapest during World War II. The gang had been targeting those they believed to be “far-right,” but many of their victims were just members of the public going about their daily business.
❗️BREAKING: Accomplice of @SalisIlaria, the antifa terrorist Maja T., has been convicted at first instance and sentenced to 8 years in prison. The 24-year-old German citizen was convicted of the politically motivated, brutal assault on Hungarian citizens in Budapest in 2023. pic.twitter.com/zxyXsCIHJO
— Zoltan Kovacs (@zoltanspox) February 4, 2026Authorities say victims were followed in groups through the streets before being attacked with batons, sticks, and pepper spray. Several victims were knocked to the ground and kicked or beaten, sustaining life-changing injuries and requiring substantial hospital treatment, according to Magyar Nemzet.
Nine people were reportedly injured, with one suffering a fractured skull. Prosecutors accused Maja T. of involvement in two of the assaults.
As reported by Bild, defense lawyers argued that evidence against the defendant was limited, pointing out that neither eyewitness testimony nor DNA evidence directly identified him. The prosecution instead relied largely on surveillance footage and circumstantial evidence placing him near attack sites.
Maja T. was arrested in Berlin in December 2023 and extradited to Hungary in June 2024. Following Wednesday’s verdict, any appeal would mean he remains in Hungarian custody while proceedings continue. If the ruling becomes final, German law allows prison sentences handed down abroad to be served in Germany, provided both countries agree.
Several other members of the notorious far-left gang have been convicted or are facing trial for their involvement in the attacks. Johann G., described by prosecutors as a key organizer of attacks in Budapest and Germany, was finally arrested in November 2024 after being tracked down evading capture in Jena, southwest of Leipzig.
In 2023, a Dresden court sentenced Lina Engel, identified as a central figure in the group, to more than five years in prison, while several associates received lesser sentences for participating in violent attacks.
The issue also sparked political controversy in Europe because Italian activist Ilaria Salis, who also faced charges related to the Budapest incidents, later gained immunity after being elected to the European Parliament.
Last year, the European Parliament’s legal affairs committee narrowly voted against lifting Salis’ immunity, a decision subsequently upheld by the full parliament, preventing Hungarian authorities from continuing prosecution while she serves as an MEP.
Italian deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini criticized the outcome, saying that someone accused of violent assault had avoided trial due to political maneuvering within parliament.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó also criticized the decision, arguing that political affiliation appeared to shield suspects from prosecution.
Supporters of Salis, however, maintain that Hungarian proceedings are politically motivated and that parliamentary immunity protects elected representatives from politically driven prosecutions.
