Arrests in French far-right activist murder case follow misinformation about suspects’ identities
A flood of conflicting narratives and misinformation about alleged suspects tied to the killing of 23-year-old Quentin Deranque in Lyon has spread online, preceding a series of arrests made on Tuesday evening.
Across social media, far-right activists and politicians have spread the names of multiple individuals they claim were involved in the killing of Quentin Deranque, a 23-year-old far-right activist who was fatally beaten by a group of youths in the city of Lyon on 12 February and died two days later.
According to French prosecutors cited by French media, four men in their twenties were detained on Tuesday evening. Among them is Jacques-Élie Favrot, the parliamentary assistant to far-left France Unbowed MP Raphaël Arnault.
Arnault is also the co-founder of the Jeune Garde, an anti-fascist organisation dissolved by the government in June 2025.
The news follows a flood of conflicting narratives and misinformation about the suspects' identities, which came before the arrests, accompanied by a stream of false images of Deranque.
What led to Deranque's death?
The events leading to his death occurred on the sidelines of a conference held by far-left MEP Rima Hassan held at the Institute of Political Studies (more commonly known as Sciences Po).
According to a testimony from the far-right feminist collective Némésis, Deranque and "around 15 other men" were present to offer them security assistance for a protest they staged outside the conference.
In their statement, Némésis stated that these men were unable to carry out their security duties because they were being chased by a mob of "anti-fascist activists".
According to the Lyon Public Prosecutor's Office, later that evening, Deranque and two other individuals "were thrown to the ground and beaten repeatedly by at least six individuals".
"Two managed to escape, while Quentin Deranque remained on the ground," the prosecutor's office said.
Even though Némésis claims that Deranque was aiding their security, his family lawyer said on 13 February that he was "neither a security guard nor a member of any stewarding or security service" and that he had "no criminal record".
Left-wing activists targeted despite lack of evidence
The names, addresses and photographs of a number of alleged suspects have been shared online — even though their names are not among those suspects officially announced to the public — in turn exposing them and their families to online harassment.
In a series of social media posts, Blandine Bardinet was identified as one of the alleged suspects, namely by far-right activists, such as Damien Rieu in a now-deleted X post.
Rieu shared multiple, unrelated images of the young woman alongside video footage of the killing of Deranque, in an apparent bid to highlight the fact that she was wearing the same coat as one of the young man's attackers.
Ndong Eurydice, a local politician for the far-right Reconquête political party, also spread Bardinet's name and surname, alleging she had been "formally identified", even though this is not the case as of the time of writing.
Bardinet's lawyer, Raphaël Kempf, told Euronews's fact-checking team, The Cube, that they would take legal action against the individuals who spread false claims about Bardinet.
"Complaints will be filed against individuals who continue to relay these lies, and they will have to explain themselves in court," he said in an emailed statement. "For several days now, various far-right influencers have been acting like police investigators and prosecutors, treating their followers like a jury and naming names, inciting waves of hatred and threats."
"In their quest for revenge, they wrongly identified Blandine Bardinet as having been present in Lyon on the evening of Thursday, February 12, at the scene of Quentin D.'s death," he said. "They did not hesitate to embellish their theory with a false analysis of a screenshot."
Kempf shut down allegations that his client could have participated in the killing of Deranque, asserting that she had "left France to travel abroad the day before, Wednesday, February 11, for a planned stay of several months."
"It is therefore clear that she does not appear in the photo and that she was wrongly identified by Damien Rieu, Mila Orriols, Jean-Eudes Gannat, Eurydice Ndong, and the UNI, among others," he added.
According to social media posts, Bardinet has been involved in the anti-fascist Jeune Garde movement.
"Blandine Bardinet was an activist with the Jeune Garde, driven by her anti-fascist convictions and the need to fight against the far right and the spread of its ideas and practices," Kempf said. "Since June 12, 2025, she has complied with the decree dissolving the Jeune Garde."
In a press statement released on Sunday, the Jeune Garde denied its responsibility for what it described as "tragic events" which took place in Lyon, stating that it had "suspended all its activities" following the dissolution.
In an interview with French public broadcaster France 2 the same day, France's Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez pointed to the possible responsibility of the Jeune Garde in Deranque's killing.
"The investigation will confirm whether or not they were Jeune Garde activists," he said. "But the evidence clearly points in that direction."
The Lyon Public Prosecutor's office did not respond to our questions regarding the formal identification of the suspects, following separate reports from French media who, citing police sources, stated that investigators had "formally" identified five suspects, amplifying speculation surrounding the names shared online before Tuesday's arrests.
During a press conference held on Monday, the prosecutor's office confirmed that Deranque had been attacked "by at least six individuals."
Fake photos of Quentin Deranque spread online
Elsewhere on social media, several photos claiming to show Deranque have been circulating on social media since the incident.
In reality, the only authentic photo of him was released by his family was published in the French newspaper Le Figaro.
One image, which has been widely shared and supposedly shows Deranque, actually depicts Dylan Guichaoua, a local representative for the youth branch of the far-right National Rally party in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department of France.
Guiachaou's image also appeared on French flags displayed at a tribute rally held in Paris on Sunday.
Responding to the viral posts, Guichaoua published a statement on Facebook, denouncing the misuse of his identity, stating he had "no connection to the events mentioned, and even less to the attack and the death of Quentin".
Other alleged images of Deranque bearing the caption "his name was Quentin" actually use the photograph of Quentin Piron, a 23-year-old Belgian who died in a road accident in 2024.
Artificial intelligence has also been used to generate images of Deranque, which have in turn been picked up by far-right accounts, with captions such as, "The far left kills. Support for Quentin".
In total, The Cube identified at least six false images of Quentin circulating online.
Four suspects arrested in killing of French far-right activist in Lyon
The incident has fuelled tensions between the far right and hard left ahead of municipal elections in March and the presidential election next year.
Investigators have arrested four suspects over the death of a French far-right activist in Lyon, the southeastern city's public prosecutor has said.
23-year-old Quentin Deranque died from a severe brain injury after being attacked by at least six people last week on the sidelines of a far-right protest against MEP Rima Hassan, who was speaking at an event at Sciences Po Lyon university.
A source following the case told news agency AFP that one of those detained is an assistant of a member of parliament from the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party.
The incident has intensified tension between France's far right and hard left as they prepare for municipal elections in March.
Nemesis, an anti-immigration group that describes itself as a protector of western women against violence, stated that Deranque was at the demonstration acting as security for its members.
Nemesis has blamed La Jeune Garde (The Young Guard) for the killing, an anti-fascist youth group co-founded in 2018 in Lyon by hard-left activist Raphaël Arnault before he was elected to parliament.
On its part, the government has blamed LFI for fuelling the violence that led to Deranque's death.
"It is manifestly the ultra-left who killed him," French justice minister Gérald Darmanin said.
A video, purportedly of the attack, shows a dozen people hitting three others lying on the ground, two of whom manage to escape.
On Tuesday afternoon, the French National Assembly observed a minute of silence for Quentin Deranque, with a commemorative march scheduled next Saturday in Lyon.
Political blame game continues
While government officials have blamed LFI and La Jeune Garde, the Lyon prosecutor declined to address those claims on Monday, confirming only that the case is being handled as voluntary homicide and aggravated assault.
La Jeune Garde, which was dissolved in June, denied any links to the "tragic events".
Three-time presidential candidate and likely 2027 contender, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, dismissed claims that his party, the LFI, was at fault.
LFI lawmaker and La Jeune Garde co-founder, Raphaël Arnault, has said he was horrified by the killing.
Meanwhile, three-time presidential candidate with the far-right National Rally Marine Le Pen condemned the "barbarians responsible for this lynching".
With President Emmanuel Macron constitutionally barred from seeking a third term in 2027, the far-right National Rally currently leads the race to succeed him, according to recent opinion polls.
France's government on Monday said politicians on the hard left had "encouraged a climate of violence" that made them partially responsible for the death of 23-year-old Quentin Deranque, a far-right activist who was attacked on the sidelines of a protest in Lyon last week.
Issued on: 16/02/2026 -
By: FRANCE 24
Video by: FRANCE 24
France's government accused the hard left Monday of being partly responsible for the killing of a far-right activist last week.
Quentin Deranque, 23, died of his wounds after being attacked Thursday on the sidelines of a far-right protest against a left-wing politician speaking at a university in the city of Lyon.
The Lyon prosecutor on Monday said the authorities have opened a murder investigation Deranque's death after he was attacked by "at least six" people on the sidelines of a protest.
Prosecutor Thierry Dran said the incident is being investigated as an "intentional homicide" and "aggravated assault". No arrests have been made so far, he added.
The incident has fuelled tension between France's far right and hard left ahead of municipal elections in March and the 2027 presidential race.
The government blamed rhetoric from the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party for fuelling the violence that led to his death.
The far right blamed the killing on la Jeune Garde (Young Guard), an anti-fascist youth group co-founded by an LFI lawmaker before he was elected to parliament.
The group – which was dissolved in June – denied any links to the "tragic events".
READ MOREFrance's Macron urges restraint after right-wing youth fatally beaten
Government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon accused the LFI Monday of having "encouraged a climate of violence for years".
"There is therefore – in light of the political climate and the climate of violence – a moral responsibility on the part of LFI" for the attack on Thursday, she told television broadcaster BFMTV.
Raphael Glucksmann, a centre left member of European parliament, also lambasted the hard left party.
"It's unthinkable that, on the left, we would continue to harbour the slightest doubt about a possible electoral alliance with LFI," he told the RTL broadcaster.
The left, including LFI, allied against the far right after President Emmanuel Macron took a gamble by calling for snap parliamentary elections in 2024.
But Macron lost even more of his majority, and the anti-immigration National Rally (RN) became the biggest party in the lower house.
'Pitched battle'
According to a source close to the probe into the Lyon killing, there was "a pitched battle between members of the far left and the far right".
A video broadcast by TF1 television of the alleged attack shows a dozen people hitting three others lying on the ground, two of whom manage to escape.
A witness said "people were hitting each other with iron bars".
LFI's veteran leader Jean-Luc Melenchon, a three-time presidential candidate widely expected to run again next year, has denied his party were to blame.
On the far right, Marine Le Pen, who is still hoping to stand in 2027 despite a graft conviction, condemned the "barbarians responsible for this lynching".
READ MOREParis appeals court sets verdict in far-right leader Le Pen’s graft case for July 7
Opinion polls put the far right in the lead for the presidency in 2027, when Macron will have to step down after the maximum two consecutive terms in office.
Le Pen has said she will decide whether to run after an appeal court ruling in July, when she could hand over to her lieutenant Jordan Bardella.
A poll of 1,000 people published on Sunday placed Bardella as the preferred candidate in the 2027 vote, ahead of Le Pen in second place.
Centrist ex-prime minister Edouard Philippe, a candidate, and Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin were in joint third place.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
The fatal beating of a 23-year-old far-right sympathiser in Lyon has sparked a blame game between France's left and right political circles, while an investigation is underway to uncover the sequence of events leading up to the young man's death.
Issued on: 16/02/2026 - RFI
Alara Koknar
Quentin, a 23-year-old mathematics student linked to the far-right collective Némésis, died after being severely beaten during clashes in the city of Lyon on Thursday evening.
Némésis is known for high-profile actions opposing immigration and feminism, and for staging protests targeting left-wing political figures.
According to the group, Quentin had been "helping provide security" for its members as they demonstrated near the university Sciences Po Lyon, where Rima Hassan, a Member of the European Parliament from the hard-left party France Unbowed, was holding a conference.
Clashes between rival political groups
Police sources say an initial confrontation between far-right and far-left supporters escalated into a violent clash roughly 500 metres from the university. Both groups consisted of about twenty individuals. A video acquired by French television channel TF1 shows several individuals beating a man on the ground.
On social media, Némésis has refered to the incident as a “lynching” of its activists, but prosecutors say they are still working to determine the precise sequence of events.
Quentin was later treated by firefighters for a serious head injury. He was hospitalised in critical condition and later declared brain dead on Friday before passing away on Saturday.
Lyon prosecutor Thierry Dran told reporters at a press conference on Monday afternoon that a criminal investigation into voluntary homicide is being conducted by the Lyon police department.
Quentin’s family lawyer has described the attack as a “premeditated ambush”, a claim not yet substantiated by investigators.
Ministers and party leaders trade accusations
Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said Sunday that “the far-left had clearly killed” the student.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez also suggested that early evidence pointed to involvement of "far-left activists", mentioning possible links to the Jeune Garde, an anti-fascist group dissolved for its violence in 2025. His claim has yet to be confirmed.
On the right, Marion Maréchal, a far-right member of the European Parliament and niece of Marine Le Pen, accused France Unbowed's of responsibility.
Former interior minister Bruno Retailleau echoed similar claims, expressing that “it is not the police who kill in France, but the far-left”.
French prosecutors stick to demand for five-year ban for Le Pen
Meanwhile, France Unbowed leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon expressed “shock, empathy and compassion” for the family at a rally in Montpellier, while rejecting what he considered “slander”.
“We have nothing to do with this story,” he said, insisting his movement opposes political violence.
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