Over Three Thousand People March in Lyon After 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 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 both armed sides. French law enforcement has so far detained eleven people in this case. Six of them are in pre-trial detention on charges of intentional homicide and grievous bodily harm, while the others were released after questioning. The fact that three of those detained are close associates of lawmakers 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 and with faces covered, raised banners proclaiming that "the far left kills." Although no direct physical confrontations occurred, the march caused massive outrage. The Prefect of the Rhône department, Fabienne Buccio, reported that three notifications of possible criminal offenses had been forwarded to the judiciary. 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 Conflict Escalation: February 12 — Clashes in Lyon; February 14 — Activist's Death; February 21 — 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. Among the politicians present at the march were Senator Étienne Blanc from the traditional right (The Republicans) and local leaders such as Michel Dulac and Thierry Dussud, which sparked controversy in the context of the upcoming elections. The President 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 half a million inhabitants, Lyon has long been considered one of the main arenas for 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.

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