Tensions have risen in France following the death of a young far-right activist in Lyon, Quentin Deranque, 23, who was killed following a violent attack by an “Antifa” group on the sidelines of a conference held by Rima Hassan, MEP of La France Insoumise ( the far-left party led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon), at Sciences Po Lyon.
The young man was taken to the hospital in critical condition on Thursday evening and died yesterday. According to the Némésis collective, which is close to the far-right, Quentin was part of the security detail assigned to protect its activists demonstrating against Rima Hassan's conference . The city prosecutor's office has announced an ongoing investigation into aggravated manslaughter and aggravated assault. The family's lawyer, Fabien Rajon, denounced the attack as a "crime" and a "methodically prepared ambush."

French government spokesperson Maud Bregeon denounces the "moral responsibility" of La France Insoumise (France Insoumise) for the "climate of violence" in the political debate. "La France Insoumise has been encouraging a climate of violence for years now. LFI has confirmed, if not acknowledged, links with extremely violent far-left groups," she deplored on Bfmtv/RMC, adding: "There is therefore a moral responsibility on the part of La France Insoumise for the political climate, the climate of violence."

The President of the French National Assembly, Yaël Braun-Pivet, has announced the suspension of the "right of access" to Parliament of Jacques-Elie Favrot, the parliamentary assistant to La France Insoumise MP Raphaël Arnault, whose name is "mentioned by several witnesses" in the fatal attack. "His presence within the walls of the Assembly could cause a disturbance of public order," reads a statement released by the presidency of the French lower chamber. Braun-Pivet "has therefore decided to suspend, as a precautionary measure and without prejudice to the continuation of the judicial investigation, the latter's access rights," the statement states.

Meanwhile, several candidates in the municipal elections scheduled for just a month's time have expressed their grief at the news of the young man's death, and some have announced the suspension of their campaigns. "I can't imagine myself campaigning under these circumstances. I urge everyone to take the time to understand the gravity of the moment we are living through together," said Alexandre Dupalais, candidate for the UDR-RN, on France 3. Former OL president Jean-Michel Aulas, a right-wing centrist candidate, and LFI candidate Anaïs Belouassa-Cherifi, have done the same, announcing the suspension of their campaigns for Sunday.

"Quentin's death leaves me speechless," Aulas commented on X on Saturday. "Nothing justifies killing or dying for one's beliefs. Nothing justifies a political disagreement that leads to violence," he continued. Without mentioning the suspension of his campaign, outgoing Green mayor Grégory Doucet, also running for re-election, deplored "a tragedy" and stressed that "such an explosion of violence in the heart of the city is unacceptable." "The city of Lyon will put all its resources at the disposal of justice to arrest the individuals involved," he added in a statement.

(Unioneonline/D)

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