Political violence in France

On Saturday, February 14, young far-right activist Quentin Deranque died from his injuries two days after a violent brawl in Lyon between neo-fascist and anti-fascist activists, which took place on the sidelines of a speech by MP Rima Hassan (La France Insoumise). Since then, an investigation has been launched to shed light on this sinister event. Among the seven people who will be charged with voluntary manslaughter are members of the anti-fascist group La Jeune Garde, including a parliamentary assistant to the LFI deputy Raphaël Arnault., the founder of the group. Inevitably, Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s party, which has always been open about its support for La Jeune Garde, finds itself at the center of the storm and the target of criticism. Inevitably, the political exploitation of these events, in a context of strong polarization, adds to the gloom and offers an unflattering picture of political debate in France, less than a month before the municipal elections.

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