French authorities have arrested 11 people in connection with a fatal attack during violent clashes on the sidelines of a protest in Lyon. Prosecutors are investigating the case as voluntary homicide and aggravated assault following the death of 23-year-old activist Quentin Deranque, who suffered a severe brain injury.
Among those detained is an assistant to a lawmaker from the hard-left La France Insoumise (LFI). The aide worked for MP Raphaël Arnault, who said he had dismissed the staffer. LFI leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon condemned the violence, saying those responsible had "dishonoured" themselves.
The incident has heightened tensions between the far right and hard left ahead of municipal elections and the 2027 presidential race. Marine Le Pen, a leading figure in the National Rally, denounced the attack as a "lynching," while party president Jordan Bardella accused Mélenchon of bearing political responsibility. A memorial march is planned in Lyon as investigations continue into what authorities described as a pitched battle between far-left and far-right activists...