Wave of arrests over killing of French nationalist piles pressure on far left

BBC News - WorldCenterEN 3 min read 100% complete February 18, 2026 at 04:03 PM

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

French authorities have arrested eleven people in connection with the death of Quentin Deranque, a far-right student activist killed in Lyon during a demonstration last week. The incident occurred on the sidelines of a conference held by Rima Hassan, a member of the hard-left party France Unbowed (LFI). Among those arrested is a parliamentary assistant to an LFI politician, who has since been terminated from his position. The killing and subsequent arrests have intensified political tensions in France, with rivals attacking LFI despite party leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon's attempts to distance the party from the violence. LFI has accused political opponents and the media of exploiting the tragedy, especially as the country prepares for upcoming municipal elections.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Sébastien Lecornu 30% Maud Bregeon 30% Young Guard 30% Manuel Bompard 30% Jean-Luc Mélenchon 40% Némésis ×240% Raphaël Arnault 50% Jacques-Elie Favrot 50% Rima Hassan 60% Lyon ×370% France Unbowed (LFI) ×680% Quentin Deranque ×590%

Keywords

far left 90% french nationalist 80% arrests 70% political violence 70% lyon 60% france unbowed 60% political climate 50% municipal elections 50% anti-immigration group 40%