Lyon: 11 Arrested in Identitarian Activist Murder Investigation
- February 18, 2026 – Eleven people are now in custody following the death of 23-year-old Quentin Deranque, a far-right activist who died after being attacked in Lyon last...
- Deranque died two days after sustaining a concussion during a violent brawl that erupted on the fringes of a lecture given by Rima Hassan, a member of the...
- According to the Lyon Public Prosecutor's Office, seven of those arrested are suspected of homicide, aggravated violence, and criminal conspiracy.
Eleven Arrested in Connection with Death of Far-Right Activist in Lyon
– Eleven people are now in custody following the death of 23-year-old Quentin Deranque, a far-right activist who died after being attacked in Lyon last . The arrests, which began and continued , include two aides to a French far-left lawmaker, according to reports.
Deranque died two days after sustaining a concussion during a violent brawl that erupted on the fringes of a lecture given by Rima Hassan, a member of the European Parliament with the La France Insoumise (LFI) party, at Sciences Po Lyon. The incident has sparked claims of unchecked far-left violence in France and prompted a wave of arrests as authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding his death.
Charges and Suspects
According to the Lyon Public Prosecutor’s Office, seven of those arrested are suspected of homicide, aggravated violence, and criminal conspiracy. An additional four are being investigated for allegedly assisting suspects in evading authorities. These include two partners of individuals who were already wanted for questioning, and one suspect’s mother-in-law.
Police have video footage, broadcast by TF1, showing several hooded individuals surrounding and attacking Deranque on Rue Victor-Lagrange, approximately 400 meters from the Sciences Po campus. Investigators are working to determine who delivered the most severe blows that led to Deranque’s death and to establish the level of responsibility for each individual involved.
Political Fallout and Investigations
The arrest of an assistant to LFI MP Raphaël Arnault has added a political dimension to the case. Arnault announced he had initiated procedures to terminate his contract with Jacques-Elie Favrot, the aide in question. Favrot has ceased all parliamentary activities, according to a statement released by his lawyer. Arnault stressed that the investigation “will have to determine responsibility.”
Authorities are also investigating whether members of the Jeune Garde, a far-left group, were acting as a form of “security detail” for Hassan during the event. Hassan has denied these claims. The altercation reportedly involved approximately fifteen members of the far-right and fifteen members of the far-left.
Timeline and Next Steps
The events unfolded after Deranque and a group of around fifteen others attended the protest outside Hassan’s lecture, reportedly to provide security for the demonstrators. They were allegedly confronted by a group of “anti-fascist activists.” Deranque was attacked shortly thereafter.
The majority of the arrests were carried out in several departments, including the Rhône region. The remaining two arrests occurred . Most of the suspects are expected to remain in custody until , as the maximum detention period without a judge’s authorization is 48 hours in cases not involving organized crime.
Security at the Lyon judicial courthouse will be reinforced in anticipation of the suspects’ appearance before a magistrate. The investigation is ongoing, with prosecutors expected to open a formal judicial inquiry and assign investigating judges to oversee the case.
The case has also been accompanied by a surge of misinformation online, with far-right activists and politicians spreading unverified names and images of alleged suspects. Euronews’ fact-checking team, The Cube, has confirmed the details of the arrests with the Lyon Public Prosecutor’s Office.