France arrests nine over killing of far-right activist Quentin Deranque

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by By AFP and ReutersFebruary 18, 2026 at 02:31 AM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

In Lyon, France, police arrested nine individuals on February 18, 2026, in connection with the death of 23-year-old far-right activist Quentin Deranque, who was beaten to death by far-left activists the previous week. The incident occurred outside a venue where Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan was speaking, sparking political tensions ahead of upcoming elections. Among those arrested is an aide to a far-left lawmaker from the France Unbowed party. Six of the detainees are suspected of participating in the beating, while three are suspected of aiding them. The investigation is ongoing to determine the full extent of responsibility.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

European Parliament 30% AFP 40% Nemesis 40% Raphael Arnault ×250% Thierry Dran 50% Jean-Luc Melenchon 50% Rima Hassan ×260% France Unbowed (LFI) ×260% Lyon ×470% France ×480% Quentin Deranque ×690%

Keywords

far-right activist killing 100% far-left activists 90% political violence 80% france 70% lyon 70% arrests 60% political tensions 50% municipal elections 50% france unbowed 40%