French police have identified five of six attackers linked to the murder of young nationalist Quentin Deranque, intensifying political tensions as the National Assembly plans to commemorate his death.
As the French National Assembly prepares to hold a minute of silence for the murdered young nationalist Quentin Deranque this Tuesday, police have reported the identification of five out of six attackers involved in his brutal beating, which has been termed a lynching. This incident has sparked significant political tension in France, particularly as some of the attackers have been linked to far-left ideologies. Notably, these suspects do not appear on the 'S list,' which tracks individuals considered national security threats, raising questions about the state’s ability to monitor potential violence linked to extremist groups.
The group 'La Jeune Garde' (The Young Guard), an antifascist self-defense group that emerged in Lyon in 2018 and was dissolved in June 2025, has been mentioned in connection to the attackers. They have historically aligned with 'La France Insoumise' (the Unsubmissive France), a political party led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who has incorporated influential members of the group into his political apparatus. The intertwining of political affiliations and extremist actions indicates a potentially complicated landscape in which individual actions could influence broader political sentiments and unrest.
Quentin Deranque, aged 23, was severely beaten and ultimately killed. Prosecutor Thierry Dran from Lyon emphasized the severity of the attack during a recent press conference, detailing the horrifying circumstances of the incident. The combination of political commemorations and the chilling nature of the crime could fuel further debates about national security and the rising influence of extremist groups in France, complicating the sociopolitical climate in the country.
