Thousands of French Patriots Rally in Lyon After Antifa Killing of Conservative Student

Thousands gathered in Lyon on Saturday to demand justice following the murder of 23-year-old conservative Catholic student Quentin Deranque. Deranque suffered a fatal brain injury after being beaten by Antifa thugs as he was providing informal protection for a protest of the identitarian-feminist Collectif Némésis. Seven individuals have been charged in connection with the attack, which took place on the margins of a protest targeting far-left MEP Rima Hassan at Sciences Po Lyon. According to local media, several of the suspects are believed to have ties to the Young Guard Antifa group established in Lyon in 2018 by La France Insoumise (LFI) lawmaker Raphaël Arnault. Among those charged include Jacques-Elie Favrot, a parliamentary assistant to Arnault, and Adrian Besseyre, who previously worked for the MP. The case has drawn national attention to the violence of the far-left, who bring violence with them everywhere they go. Authorities reported that at least 3,200 demonstrators took part in Saturday’s march, held under the banner “Justice for Quentin.” Chants heard during the rally included “LFI complicit, Antifa murderers” and “Young Guard in prison, free the city of Lyon.” National Rally leader Jordan Bardella advised his party not to participate in the demonstrations. Additional rallies were reported in Rennes, Brest, Saint-Brieuc, and Châteauroux. Despite tensions and the presence of counter-protesters, the demonstrations were peaceful and ended without major incident. Organizers concluded the march by unfurling a banner reading “farewell comrade” and singing “La Marseillaise.”