Over three thousand people march in Lyon following fatal beating of nationalist Quentin Deranque

On Saturday afternoon, over 3,200 people marched through the streets of Lyon, participating in a march commemorating 23-year-old Quentin Deranque. The young nationalist died in hospital last week after being brutally beaten on February 12 by members of far-left anti-fascist militant groups. According to the prosecutor's office findings, the incident occurred during violent clashes between far-right groups and anti-fascists on the sidelines of protests against a politician from the France Unbowed party. The victim was part of a group providing protection to activists from the Némésis collective when violence escalated between the two armed sides. French law enforcement has so far detained seven people in this case. Six of them are in pre-trial detention on charges of premeditated murder and grievous bodily harm. The fact that three of those detained are close associates of members of parliament from the France Unbowed party has triggered a crisis of trust in left-wing political forces. 500 — police officers secured the streets of Lyon The demonstration itself, organized at Place Jean-Jaurès, took place under exceptionally restrictive security measures. Riot police units and surveillance drones monitoring the situation from the air were deployed to protect the event. The crowd, largely dressed in black with covered faces, held banners proclaiming that "the far left kills." Although there were no direct physical confrontations, the march caused significant outrage. The prefect of the Rhône department, Fabienne Buccio, reported filing three complaints with the judicial authorities regarding potential criminal offenses. Recordings were confirmed showing some participants making Nazi gestures and deliberately shouting racist slogans. After the demonstration ended, one man was detained for carrying a bladed weapon. Timeline of the conflict escalation: 12 February — Clashes in Lyon; 14 February — Activist's death; 21 February — Mass protest The show of force by the far-right drastically narrows the room for compromise in France on the eve of the first round of local elections, scheduled for mid-March. The only high-ranking politician who supported the march with his presence was Étienne Blanc, a senator from the traditional right-wing party (The Republicans), which caused surprise in Parisian political circles. The president has announced an uncompromising fight against militant groups from both sides of the barricade. „J'appelle tout le monde à rester calme” (I call on everyone to remain calm) — Emmanuel Macron With a population of half a million, Lyon has long been considered one of the main arenas of political confrontation among minorities in France. It is an informal stronghold of the French identitarian movement, where brutal street clashes regularly occur between radical anti-fascist formations and organized nationalist militant groups.

They focus on the Nazi gestures of the march participants, warning of the overt fascistization of public discourse. | They emphasize the tragedy of the murdered young man and the guilt of the anti-fascist militant groups, accusing the left of inciting the crime.