On Saturday, February 21, 2026, the city of Lyon found itself at the center of a national reckoning as thousands took to the streets in memory of Quentin Deranque, a 23-year-old conservative Catholic student whose violent death has ignited fierce debate and deepened divisions across France. The march, attended by at least 3,000 people, was both a somber tribute and a flashpoint for the simmering tensions between the country’s far-left and far-right factions.
Deranque died on February 12 after suffering a traumatic brain injury during a brutal attack on the sidelines of a protest at Sciences Po university. The demonstration was originally organized against MEP Rima Hassan of the far-left La France Insoumise (LFI) party, but quickly devolved into chaos. According to Le Progrès, Deranque was beaten by multiple masked and hooded individuals believed to be members of the Antifa-aligned Young Guard, a group founded in 2018 by LFI MP Raphaël Arnault. The violence, which left Deranque unconscious and ultimately claimed his life, was broadcast on national television, shocking viewers and fueling outrage.
The aftermath has seen seven people charged in connection with Deranque’s killing, including Jacques-Elie Favrot, a parliamentary assistant to Arnault, and Adrian Besseyre, another former aide to the far-left lawmaker. Most suspects are reportedly linked to the Young Guard Antifa cell, which had provided security for LFI before being banned last year. As Sky News reported, the city of Lyon has long been considered a cradle of far-right activism, but its militant left-wing groups have grown in response, leading to increasingly frequent and violent clashes.
Saturday’s march, organized by far-right and nationalist groups, began with a minute’s silence. Demonstrators, many dressed in black with faces partially covered, carried white tulips, banners, and placards bearing messages like “justice for Quentin” and “the extreme left kills.” Chants of “LFI complicit, Antifa murderers” and “Young Guard in prison, free the city of Lyon” echoed through the streets. Some participants carried banners reading “The far left kills,” while others simply paid their respects with flowers and portraits of Deranque. The event drew a broad spectrum of attendees, from traditionalist Catholics to nationalist and far-right activists.
Among the marchers were members of Collectif Némésis, an anti-migration feminist group whom Deranque was reportedly protecting at the time of his attack. One member told Le Figaro, “We came to pay tribute to Quentin because he protected us; it’s important for us to come and express our gratitude and our sadness.” Another participant said, “We’re here to show Quentin’s family that we support them: what they are going through is horrible, no one should die for their beliefs in France.” When asked about marching alongside far-right groups, she responded, “I don’t know what ‘far right’ means. It’s a label they just throw at us, but the people on the other side are ignorant. They call us fascists when they don’t even know what it really means!”
Despite the emotionally charged atmosphere, the march proceeded largely without incident. Authorities had deployed heavy police presence, including drones, amid fears of further violence. Local officials reported some Nazi salutes and racist insults captured on video during the event, which have been referred to the prosecutor for investigation. Residents along the march route displayed signs from their windows, some reading “Lyon is antifa” or “Love is greater than hate,” reflecting the city’s divided sentiments.
The demonstration went ahead despite calls from Lyon’s Green Party mayor, Grégory Doucet, and LFI coordinator Manuel Bompard, who urged the state to ban it over concerns that it would attract individuals likely to commit violence. Mayor Doucet lamented, “I did not want Lyon to be the capital of the far-right.” Nevertheless, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez declined to call off the rally, stating that he had to “strike a balance between maintaining public order and freedom of expression.”
French President Emmanuel Macron weighed in ahead of the march, calling for calm and respect. “This is a moment of remembrance and respect for this young compatriot who was killed, for his family and loved ones. That must come first. And then it is a moment of firmness and responsibility,” Macron said, as reported by Sky News. He also announced that the government would meet the following week to discuss violent action groups in the wake of Deranque’s death, signaling official concern over the escalation of political violence.
Deranque’s parents, represented by their lawyer Fabien Rajon, chose not to participate in the demonstration, expressing hope that it would proceed “without violence” and “without political statements.” Their wish for a peaceful tribute was echoed by one of the rally’s organizers, Aliette Espieux, a former spokesperson for the anti-abortion movement, who stated she wanted a “peaceful tribute.” Mourners had earlier gathered in the church frequented by Deranque, and his portrait was hung from the administrative headquarters of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
Elsewhere in France, protests and tributes were held in cities like Rennes, Brest, Saint-Brieuc, and Châteauroux, underscoring the national impact of Deranque’s death. The National Rally leader, Jordan Bardella, advised his party members to refrain from joining demonstrations, highlighting the political sensitivities surrounding the event.
The killing has triggered a torrent of condemnation and debate. Critics of LFI accuse the party of stoking tensions through combative rhetoric, while LFI leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon has condemned the violence and insisted his party bears no responsibility. According to Sky News, “LFI’s opponents have accused it of stirring up violence and tensions with its combative far-left politics.” The backlash has led some to question long-standing assumptions about extremism in French politics, with some commentators suggesting the current moment could reshape the nation’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Internationally, the incident has drawn attention as well. A U.S. State Department official described the killing as “terrorism” and warned of “violent radical leftism on the rise,” while French officials pushed back against foreign commentary, emphasizing the need for national unity in the face of tragedy.
For many in Lyon, the events of the past week have been a stark reminder of the dangers of political polarization. As local resident Jean Echeverria, 87, told Daily Mail, “They’ll just keep fighting each other, it’ll never end. Between the extreme of this and the extreme of that, it’s non-stop.”
As France grapples with the fallout from Quentin Deranque’s death, the calls for justice, remembrance, and restraint now echo far beyond the streets of Lyon, challenging the nation to confront the roots of its divisions and the costs of escalating political violence.