Proces protiv Antife u Düsseldorfu: Prekršena je šutnja

In Düsseldorf, Germany, six individuals who were accused of participating in attacks against far-right extremists in Budapest in February 2023 have broken their silence during a court hearing. The defendants, Nele A., Paula P., Emilie D., Clara W., Luca S., and Moritz S., testified for the first time since their arrest in early 2025. Their statements mark a turning point in the ongoing trial before the Regional Court of Düsseldorf. The proceedings began with a cold atmosphere on January 13, 2026, as supporters of the accused gathered outside the courthouse to protest. Nele A., a 24-year-old from Thuringia, had been in hiding for two years after her arrest in January 2025. She had previously remained silent throughout the trial, along with five other suspects. On Tuesday, however, she spoke from within a high-security courtroom, reading from a sheet of paper. She admitted being visible on surveillance footage from three attacks targeting far-right groups in Budapest. However, she denied the prosecution’s claim that these actions resulted in the deaths of victims. She described the accusation as politically motivated, aimed at discrediting and deterring activism. She emphasized that the intent of the attacks was to prevent harm, not cause death. The other defendants followed suit. Each confirmed their presence on the videos but rejected the charge of attempted murder. They argued that the violence used was non-lethal and that the goal was to disrupt far-right gatherings rather than inflict fatal injuries. All six are aged between 23 and 25, and they collectively challenged the severity of the charges brought against them. This shift in strategy represents a major change in the case. Until now, all the accused had remained silent regarding their involvement in the attacks. Among those still unrepresented in the trial are Maja T., who was extradited from Hungary in June 2024 and sentenced to eight years in prison, and Hanna S., who received a five-year sentence in Munich in September 2025. Others, including Johann G., Paul M., and Tobias E., remain in a separate trial in Dresden involving additional suspects. These cases form part of a broader legal campaign against left-wing activists, which has intensified in recent years. The attacks in Budapest targeted the “Day of Honor,” an annual gathering of far-right extremists from across Europe who commemorate World War II atrocities. Around this event, five incidents occurred, each involving masked attackers using batons and rubber mallets. Victims suffered fractures and bruises, with one individual reportedly struck even after losing consciousness. The attacks were widely condemned as acts of resistance against fascism. Emilie D., one of the defendants, is also linked to an earlier incident in Erfurt, where she allegedly joined others in attacking two far-right individuals and damaging a shop associated with the neo-Nazi group Thor-Steinar. One victim sustained a skull fracture during the assault. Following the Budapest attacks, a large manhunt was launched, leading many of the accused to go into hiding. Only Maja T. was captured by police in Berlin. Seven individuals connected to Nele A. eventually surrendered to authorities in January 2025. The current trial is part of a larger wave of legal action against leftist radicals, with over ten other suspects facing similar charges under the label “Antifa Ost.” This campaign has gained momentum, partly due to the series of attacks, which have prompted federal officials to call for increased efforts against left-wing extremism. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office has charged the defendants with forming a criminal organization and attempting murder. During the hearing, Nele A. directly confronted this accusation, asserting that her motivation stemmed from growing up in Jena, a city historically tied to the right-wing terrorist group NSU, which killed ten people in 2011. She framed her actions as a response to the legacy of such violence.