11 arrests over death of French far-right activist Quentin Deranque
Assistant to far-left MP among suspects being questioned
The student died of injuries following an ambush near a political conference last week. Photo shows flowers left at the site of the ambush in Lyon
Abaca Press / Alamy Stock Photo
French authorities have arrested 11 suspects in relation to the death of far-right student Quentin Deranque, including a parliamentary assistant to a sitting far-left MP.
Arrests have been made mainly across the east of France, including in the Drôme, Isère, Haute-Loire, Rhône and Aisne departments.
Many of those arrested are reported to be members of the ‘Jeune Garde’ militant group, which has been banned since June 2025.
Among those taken into custody is Jacques-Elie Favrot, parliamentary assistant to La France Insoumise MP Raphaël Arnault.
His contract to work at the Assemblée nationale was terminated by the party before learning of his arrest, Mr Arnault said on Tuesday (February 17) evening.
A former parliamentary intern for Mr Arnault, named as Adrien B, is also among those to have been arrested.
Government spokesperson Maud Bregeon has called for La France Insoumise to temporarily suspend Mr Arnault – a key member of the Jeune Garde before becoming an MP in 2024 – while investigations take place.
The party said this will not happen, however.
‘At least six’ involved in ambush of student
Mr Deranque, 23, died in hospital on Saturday of injuries sustained earlier in the week.
He was reportedly ambushed by a number of far-left activists in Lyon, after attending a protest against an event held by far-left La France Insoumise MP Rima Hassan.
He was allegedly there as part of a security detail tasked with protecting far-right feminist groups that were protesting the event, and was ambushed around 400m from the Sciences-Po Lyon building where the event took place.
However, his parents have said via a lawyer he was not engaged in any such duties on the day.
During the ambush, Mr Deranque received several injuries including a temporal fracture and concussion.
Friends came to collect him and help him walk back to his home, but he quickly deteriorated and emergency services were called.
He died two days later in hospital.
In a conference on Monday night, prosecutor Thierry Dran said “at least six” individuals had actively harmed Quentin during the ambush, kicking and punching him including when he was on the ground.
Political fallout after incident
The violence and subsequent backlash has raised political tensions across France, and sparked fears of further violence.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez called for prefectures to provide greater security at political events to prevent further violence.
Central to the ensuing discourse is a purported association between the now-banned Jeune Garde and the far-left La France Insoumise.
Many members of the militant group are said to be closely related to the party which has over 70 seats in the Assemblée nationale.
The Jeune Garde is not officially related to La France Insoumise but the two reportedly shared many members before the militant group was proscribed, including MP Raphaël Arnault.
Party leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon said the party has “nothing to do with [Quentin Deranque’s death]. Those who accuse us are committing a libel,” on Sunday (February 15).
The political fallout has impacted more than just the far-left party.
Criticism has been levied against the Socialist Party and other left parties for failing to condemn the party following the incident.
Vice-president of the right-wing Les Républicains François-Xavier Bellamy said there had been a “deafening silence” from the left-wing parties and lack of condemnation of La France Insoumise.
Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure said further comments should be paused until investigations are complete.
“When the investigation concludes, clear conclusions must be drawn. [La France Insoumise] cannot maintain the slightest ambiguity with any violent movement,” said Mr Faure on Tuesday.
"I do not want to preempt the investigation; I respect the rule of law... In a world without a compass, the truth must be the sole arbiter,” he added, and refused to equate the party directly with violence from extremist, non-parliamentary groups.
He criticised those “[trying] to designate a segment of the population as the enemy.”
France faces “a climate of constant political violence fueled by a segment of the right wing, the far right, and the radical left,” he said.
“There are those who are hunting down Muslims, those who constantly stir up conflict, making accusations left and right, without any regard for the truth. We must return to a democratic debate that can be lively but that respects everyone.
For his part, leader of Rassemblement National Jordan Bardella said he would ban both far-right and far-left militant groups if he was Prime Minister.
Despite officially being labelled as far-right, the group continues to maintain it is a right-wing group and has striven to disassociate itself from far-right extremism.
