The Mayor of Lyon has called for a planned march in memory of a 23-year-old patriotic activist slain by a violent Antifa mob to be banned, citing fears of further violence following his death.
In a statement released on Thursday, February 19th, Green mayor Grégory Doucet urged authorities to prohibit the demonstration scheduled for Saturday, warning of a “real risk of violent unrest.”
He referred to concerns about the presence of “far-right activists” travelling from across France and neighbouring countries, as well as reported threats against elected officials and damage to parliamentary offices.
The march is intended to honour Quentin Deranque, who died after being brutally assaulted last week near the building of Sciences Po Lyon. The attack followed a peaceful demonstration organised by the right-wing feminist group Collectif Némésis during a conference attended by MEP Rima Hassan of the far-left La France Insoumise party.
The women were physically confronted by ‘antifascist’ groups. Quentin, who was providing security for the female activists, was ambushed and severely beaten by far-left militants. 11 people have since been arrested for taking part in the lynching.
The Rhône prefecture and police are currently assessing the risks posed by the planned gathering before deciding whether to authorise or ban it, as political tensions in France continue to mount.
