French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday, February 14, urged calm and restraint after the fatal beating of a 23-year-old French youth aligned with the far-right on the sidelines of a conference by a hard-left lawmaker in the southeastern city of Lyon.

The death of the young man – identified only as Quentin – has intensified tensions between France’s far-right and radical left who are both eyeing 2027 presidential elections.

He had been hospitalized in Lyon on Thursday after being attacked while providing what his supporters said was security for a protest against an appearance by hard-left MEP Rima Hassan at the Lyon branch of the Sciences Po university.

  • Clbull@lemmy.world
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    6 days ago

    If National Rally were in any position of power, this easily could have become France’s Reichstag Fire moment.

  • TheSeveralJourneysOfReemus@lemmy.world
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    6 days ago

    If some of you don’t know this, Macron is surpringly a good “no bullshit” person in international politics, however in terms of internal politics and government issues he’s not that popular.

    In other words, he should be in Bruxelles. And he’s be a really solid guy.

  • comrade_twisty@feddit.org
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    8 days ago

    Since when did European media start using Trumps term ‘radical-left’ ?

    There is no such thing, this is pure framing by the alt-right!

    Trump calls everyone from AOC to Angela Merkel radical leftists.

    • Uruanna@lemmy.world
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      8 days ago

      France has been doing that for LFI for a few years, with Macron pushing Le Pen. Right wing media (most of them) have religiously followed suit, calling them radicals and extremists.

      • Prancingpotato@lemmy.world
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        7 days ago

        And now, the government just officially defined LFI as “extrême gauche”. And I don’t mean in speeches but legally. This pissed off the real “extrême gauche”, stating that there is a difference between trying to tame capitalism vs abolishing it. But hey all the same to the media and the government: don’t you dare criticizing this magnificent system that keeps us on top and you at the bottom

  • Akh@lemmy.world
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    8 days ago

    His supporters say he was providing “security” - we all know the far-right lie 100% of the time, so he probably started a fight and lost his life.

    • FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world
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      8 days ago

      Providing security in the way that Hitler’s people did in the early 30’s.

      By showing up in numbers, starting fights, and then claiming to be defending themselves. A tried-and-true Nazi propaganda tactic, and I’m glad the French aren’t standing for it.

    • Dr. Moose@lemmy.world
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      8 days ago

      It’s “security” to a “counter protest”. We all know what that means. Play stupid games win stupid prizes

  • A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world
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    8 days ago

    “Hatred that kills has no place in our country” - Man trying to stop hateful people who want to kill from facing consequences of their actions.

  • NomNom@feddit.uk
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    7 days ago

    France right now is like a powder keg

    This far-right activist was beaten by a street group calling themselves the Young Guards (“Le Jeune Gardes”). What makes this case dangerous is that Raphael Arnault, leader of Young Guards, is also a famous French MP.

    He is part of a left-wing party calling themselves the France Rebellion (“France Insoumise”).

    Raphael Arnault has been involved in street fights with Young Guards against Lepen supporters. He was even sentenced to jail by a judge. However, his political party always defended him, despite his criminal conviction.

    Now, the France Rebellion party is getting blamed for this death. And they are facing massive calls for physical retribution.

    Things could really get out of control.

    Let’s hope that cool heads prevail.