Two suspects charged over killing of French far-right activist Quentin Deranque

19 Feb 2026, 17:37 · France 24

A French court brought homicide charges Thursday against two suspects in the fatal beating of a far-right activist that has fuelled political anger in France and beyond.

In the latest fallout from the killing, President Emmanuel Macron told Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to keep out of French affairs after she expressed concern about a perceived ideological motive for the violence.

Quentin Deranque, 23, died from head injuries after being attacked by at least six people on the sidelines of a far-right protest in Lyon on February 12. Most of the 11 suspects who had been detained are from far-left movements.

Prosecutor Thierry Dran told a press conference he had requested "intentional homicide" charges against seven men and recommended they remain in custody to avoid any "disturbance to public order".

He later told AFP that two of the men had been charged with homicide.

A third suspected was charged with complicity in the killing – identified as Jacques-Elie Favrot, a parliamentary assistant to lawmaker Raphael Arnault of the hard-left party France Unbowed (LFI) – the suspect's lawyer Bertrand Sayn told reporters.

Favrot was remanded in custody, his lawyer said.

A judge was scheduled to rule later on whether four others would face charges.

The killing has fuelled political tensions ahead of municipal elections in March and France's 2027 presidential race, in which the far-right National Rally (RN) party is seen as having its best chance yet at winning the top job.

On Wednesday, Italy's far-right leader Meloni said the killing of Deranque was "a wound for all of Europe".

Macron said there was no place in France "for movements that adopt and legitimise violence" and called on all political parties to "clean up" their act.

"Nothing can justify violent action – neither on one side nor the other, and not even in a head-to-head confrontation that is deadly for the republic."

Macron also suggested that everyone must "stay in their own lane", after Meloni lamented "a climate of ideological hatred".

"I'm always struck by the fact that people who are nationalists – who don't want anyone bothering them at home – are always the first to comment on what's happening elsewhere," Macron said, while on a visit to New Delhi.

'Terrible past'

Italy's foreign minister hit back saying the killing of the French activist "is a serious matter that concerns us all".

Antonio Tajani said on X there had been similar incidents in Italy's history, and that condemning such violence aims "to ensure that we do not return to a terrible past".

He said "there have been many Quentins in Italy, some during the darkest periods of the Republic".

Macron is "closely monitoring" events, a member of his team said Thursday. "We must avoid any spiral of violence."

Eleven people – eight men and three women – were taken into custody over the killing.

Lyon prosecutor Dran said that of the seven men who could be charged with homicide, two have refused to speak while in custody.

Others have acknowledged being at the scene and "some admit to having struck blows", but he added, they all dispute having had any homicidal intent.

Four suspects have been released, but more are being sought, Dran said.

Among those originally detained are two parliamentary assistants to Raphael Arnault, a member of parliament from the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party, as well as a former intern.

A lawyer for Deranque's parents said they called "for calm and restraint".

"The family condemns any call for violence. Any form of political violence," Fabien Rajon told broadcaster RTL.

In snap parliamentary polls in 2024, Macron's supporters and the left, including the hard-left, joined forces in an effort to bar the far-right from power.

But following Deranque's killing some high-profile politicians sought to distance themselves from the hard-left, ruling out any possible futue alliance.

Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin called on Arnault to "draw the consequences" if the judiciary "finds serious and consistent evidence concerning him or the aides he hired".

LFI party coordinator Manuel Bompard said that Arnault would "certainly not" be suspended or excluded from the LFI group in the National Assembly lower house.

An anti-immigration collective called Nemesis has blamed the killing of the activist on an anti-fascist youth group called La Jeune Garde (Young Guard) co-founded by Arnault before he was elected to parliament.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)