Police in France arrested nine people on Tuesday evening in connection with the death of a 23-year-old student in Lyon last Thursday. Most of those in custody are members of the “Young Guard,” an extremist splinter group of Antifa. Among them is reportedly a parliamentary assistant to an MP from Jean-Luc Melenchon’s La France Insoumise (LFI).
For many years Melenchon – along with swathes of France’s left-leaning mainstream media – have turned a blind eye to the activities of the Young Guard
They are being questioned about the events that led to the death of Quentin Deranque. Hours earlier Deranque, a nationalist, had been providing security to a feminist group who were protesting about the appearance of Rima Hassan at the Institute of Political Studies in Lyon. Hassan, an MEP, is a rising star in the LFI and has made a name for herself as a ferocious critic of Israel. There were scuffles outside the venue on Thursday and the violence spilled out into the surrounding streets. Deranque and a couple of other nationalists were set upon by several masked individuals. Such were the ferocity of the injuries inflicted on Deranque that he died in hospital on Saturday.
Initially his death was portrayed as the result of a brawl between two groups of equal size. Then on Saturday mobile phone footage of Deranque’s last moments were broadcast on the evening news. The violence was sickening. Deranque was kicked to death. The narrative started to change. Emmanuel Macron issued a statement on social media, in which he offered the “support of the nation” to the family of Deranque. The president also said: “It is essential that the perpetrators of this ignominy be prosecuted, brought to justice and convicted. There is no place for murderous hatred in our society.”
Eyewitnesses to the violence allege that Jacques-Élie Favrot, an assistant to the LFI MP Raphael Arnault, was involved. On Monday Favrot had his parliamentary pass revoked and on Tuesday he was arrested by police. His lawyer has issued a statement in which he said his client denied involvement in the death of Deranque.
LFI rushed to wash its hands of Favrot on Tuesday evening but the damage to the party’s reputation is likely to be irreparable. On learning of the arrest of Favrot, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu posted a message on X telling LFI that it “needed to clean out its ranks.” The Minister of Justice, Gerald Darmanin, declared that “The Young Guard kills, and La France Insoumise should condemn it.” This is a bitter riposte to Melenchon’s oft-heard refrain that “the police kill.” The front cover of Wednesday’s Charlie Hebdo depicts Melenchon with blood on his hands.
For many years Melenchon – along with swathes of France’s left-leaning mainstream media – have turned a blind eye to the activities of the Young Guard. The organization, which describes itself as “anti-fascist,” was founded in Lyon in 2018 by Raphael Arnault. He himself has a conviction for violence, but that didn’t trouble LFI when he was selected as a candidate for the 2024 parliamentary election.
He won his seat with the help of the center-left Socialist party, who urged voters to cast their ballot for him to see off Le Pen’s National Rally. The Socialists must also examine their conscience, according to one of their senior figures, Raphael Glucksmann. In his opinion it is unthinkable that the party forms any more electoral alliances with LFI.
But many Socialists, like their friends in the media, have selective morals. While they are always ready to accuse Marine Le Pen’s party of being a danger to democracy, they ignore the clear and present danger on the left.
The extremism of the Young Guard was laid bare in June last year when the government disbanded the group – a decision that the organization is appealing with the support of human rights groups. Describing the Young Guard as “regularly involved in particularly violent actions,” the government gave some examples: threatening to kill a feminist, beating up people during an “anti-fascist patrol” and assaulting a 15-year-old Jewish boy on the Paris metro in the name off Palestine.
None of this seems to bother Melenchon. Earlier this week he reiterated his support for the Young Guard, saying that LFI has “deliberately sought to build closer ties” with them. He described Arnault as a “good, hard-working representative” who brings “honor” to their party.
In a speech on Tuesday night Melenchon condemned the killing of Deranque but he said he wasn’t a “child” who had turned up outside the university “to string beads.” Melenchon also said he would take no “lessons” in morality from the French prime minister.
Much of the left in France believes they have the monopoly on morality. They also believe that anything goes when it comes to fighting “fascists.” Their fanaticism blinds them to the reality: that they have become the fascists.
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