France’s interior minister accuses the ‘ultra-left’ of killing a far-right youth at a Lyon protest, escalating political tensions ahead of key elections.
LYON: The French government has blamed the “ultra-left” for the fatal beating of a young far-right activist, an attack that has sharply escalated political tensions ahead of next month’s local elections.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told public broadcaster France 2 that the “ultra-left” was “clearly at the helm” in the attack on 23-year-old Quentin Deranque. Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin made similar accusations, stating “It was clearly the ultra-left that killed him.”
Deranque died of his wounds after being assaulted last Thursday at a protest in Lyon. He had been providing security at a demonstration against an appearance by Rima Hassan, a European Parliament member for the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party.
Darmanin accused hard-left politicians of fuelling “unbridled violence” with their language. “Words can kill,” he added, criticising Hassan and LFI leader Jean-Luc Melenchon for their response.
Speaking after the accusations, Melenchon expressed his “shock” at the killing. “We also send our empathy and compassion to his family and loved ones,” he said.
The three-time presidential candidate rejected the blame placed on his movement as lacking “any connection with reality”. He added that his movement opposes all violence.
An investigation has been opened into suspected aggravated manslaughter. The Lyon prosecutors’ office said investigators are working to identify the perpetrators.
An alleged video of the attack broadcast by TF1 television shows a dozen people hitting three others lying on the ground. A witness to the attack told AFP he heard shouts and saw people hitting each other with iron bars.
According to the Nemesis collective, which is close to the far right, Deranque was assaulted by “anti-fascist” activists. The family’s lawyer said he appeared to have been ambushed by organised and trained individuals.
The incident has further fuelled tension between France’s far right and hard left. The political climate is already charged ahead of municipal elections nationwide in March and the 2027 presidential race.
Marine Le Pen condemned the “barbarians responsible for this lynching”. Demonstrations in memory of Deranque took place in Montpellier and Paris, where protesters unfurled a banner reading “antifa murderers, justice for Quentin”.
The far right has blamed the killing on la Jeune Garde, an anti-fascist youth offshoot of the LFI. The group denied involvement, saying it had “suspended all activities”.
LFI lawmaker Eric Coquerel condemned “all political violence”. He said the activists responsible for Hassan’s security “were in no way involved in what happened”.
Centrist President Emmanuel Macron has called for “calm” and “restraint”. At Saint George’s Church in Lyon, priest Laurent Spriet called for prayers “for the peace of Quentin’s soul”.
“Now is for compassion, for respect, for prayer, for letting the police and the justice system do their work,” he said.
