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.
Here is video of the young man in Lyon, France who was beaten to death by Antifa. Quentin, who is now brain dead, was volunteering as security for a conservative women’s group when he was jumped by Antifa, allegedly the Jeune Garde group. https://t.co/yLfycJ0Wxb
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) February 14, 2026
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.
« Archenault en prison ! Archenault en prison ! »
🚨 Plus de 3000 personnes demandent l’emprisonnement de Raphaël Arnault, de son vrai nom Archenault. pic.twitter.com/ij85EYQfp3
— Frontières (@Frontieresmedia) February 21, 2026
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.”
🇫🇷 In Grenoble, France, Antifa attacked a rally in support of an RN candidate in the municipal elections. Far-left radicals clashed with police during the unrest.
Yesterday in Lyon, Antifa beat 23-year-old Quentin to death as he was defending activists from Collectif Némésis. pic.twitter.com/OrOpbD0YX2
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) February 13, 2026
Other participants carried signs stating, “The far left kills.”
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.
Antifa supporters counter-protest a memorial to Quentin Deranque in Lyon, France. Quentin was a young man beaten to death by their comrades during a street jumping. He was volunteering as security for a women’s group. pic.twitter.com/ZRQSl0boUo
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) February 21, 2026
Organizers concluded the march by unfurling a banner reading “farewell comrade” and singing “La Marseillaise.”
Ben Kew is a writer and editor. Originally from the UK, he moved to the U.S. to cover Congress for Breitbart News and has since gone on to editorial roles at Human Events, Townhall Media, and Americano Media. He has also written for The Epoch Times, The Western Journal, and The Spectator.
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