French Far-Right Activist Killing: 11 Held, Including Parliamentary Aide. What We Know So Far

Last Updated:February 18, 2026, 23:58 IST

The incident has intensified political tensions ahead of France’s municipal elections in March and the 2027 presidential race.

French authorities on Wednesday confirmed 11 arrests in connection with the fatal attack on far-right activist Quentin Deranque, raising tensions between the country’s far-right and hard-left factions.

The 23-year-old far-right activist died last week after sustaining a severe brain injury when he was attacked by at least six people during a protest outside a university in Lyon. He was hospitalised in a coma before succumbing to his injuries.

The demonstration was held against Rima Hassan, a hard-left politician from the France Unbowed (LFI) party.

Deranque, affiliated with the Rally-aligned groups, had reportedly been providing security at the protest. His death has become a flashpoint in the ongoing tensions between France’s far-right and hard-left factions.

Parliamentary Aide Among 11 Arrested

According to Lyon prosecutor Thierry Dran, among the 11 detained is a parliamentary aide linked to LFI lawmaker Raphael Arnault. Six of the detainees are suspected of participating directly in the assault, while the remaining three are accused of helping the attackers.

A man believed to be directly involved in the violence, along with his partner, who allegedly assisted him in evading justice, were also taken into custody. Arnault said he had fired his assistant following the arrest.

The attack occurred on the sidelines of a far-right demonstration where Deranque was reportedly providing security for members of Nemesis, an anti-immigration collective that campaigns against violence toward Western women.

Nemesis has blamed the killing on La Jeune Garde, an anti-fascist youth group co-founded by Arnault before he became a member of parliament. The group denies any involvement in the incident.

French Govt Blames ‘Ultra-Left’

The French government has publicly blamed the “ultra-left" for the attack. Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin accused LFI politicians, including Jean-Luc Mélenchon and Hassan, of fostering “unbridled violence" with their rhetoric. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said the “ultra-left" was “clearly at the helm" of the assault.

The incident has intensified political tensions ahead of France’s municipal elections in March and the 2027 presidential race, in which the far-right Rally (RN) party is seen as a leading contender.

RN leader Jordan Bardella held LFI’s leadership morally and politically responsible, claiming they had “opened the doors of the Assembly to suspected murderers."

The Lyon prosecutor’s office has stressed that the investigation is ongoing and is treating the case as one of “voluntary homicide and aggravated assault".

(With inputs from AFP)

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