French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau has decided to dissolve the anti-fascist organisation La Jeune Garde, founded by far-left MP Raphaël Arnault, due to its repeated and explicit calls for political violence.
The threat had been looming for several weeks, and the minister’s decision was made public on Thursday, June 12th, after approval by the Council of Ministers the previous day.
The La Jeune Garde was founded in 2018 in Lyon. It claims to fight the “far right” in public spaces and openly promotes violence. It sees itself as a “tool of popular self-defence against the far right”. In June 2024, eight members of the group were charged with assaulting a 15-year-old on the Paris metro after a pro-Gaza event led by Franco-Palestinian activist Rima Hassan.
Among its founding members is Raphaël Arnault, a member of parliament for La France Insoumise (LFI), elected in July 2024. He is the first fiché S (which means he is on a state security watchlist) to be elected as an MP. Arnault is the movement’s spokesman. He recently made headlines when he assaulted journalists from the conservative investigative media outlet Frontières at the National Assembly.
La Jeune Garde announced that it would file an appeal with the Council of State to protest its dissolution.
To appear balanced, Bruno Retailleau announced the simultaneous dissolution of Lyon Populaire, a small group classified as far-right. Both movements were accused of “inciting violent acts against individuals, provocations that were often followed by action.”
The groups in question had the opportunity to present arguments in their defence, but according to the minister, a thorough examination of their objections “did not call into question the very serious allegations made against them.”
La Jeune Garde admits that it has resorted to political violence. The Lyon Populaire movement explains that it “teaches its activists to defend themselves” because of the numerous attacks it has suffered at the hands of anti-fascists. It claims to want to “channel the resentment felt by many French people, particularly towards non-European immigration, and direct it towards constructive and lawful action.”
Unlike La Jeune Garde, Lyon Populaire has accepted the government’s decision and will not appeal to the Council of State.
Once again, Raphaël Arnault accused Minister Retailleau of acting on orders from the Rassemblement National (RN) at a time when, according to him, France is under threat of “far-right” attacks. His position as a member of parliament remains unchallenged, even though he believes that his political action must involve violence.
