The Alpharise Movement: Far-Right Vigilantism Behind the Façade of Protecting Shopkeepers

Fitness influencer and pornographic actor Charlie D., known online as Alpharise, is organizing citizen groups to defend storefronts in Montpellier and across France, an action that has drawn support from far-right networks, lepoing.net reported. Operating under the banner of civilian protection, the campaign has rapidly expanded across encrypted messaging platforms while tying into broader debates over public security and far-right normalisation.

The initiative emerged on October 17, 2026, as Charlie D. began publishing Instagram Reels criticizing state authorities and police for allegedly failing to protect local businesses. By October 22, 2026, he launched a dedicated website to coordinate these mutual-aid groups, quickly establishing 66 networks across different French cities. The Montpellier chapter gathered over 700 members on Telegram, with administration shared among figures connected to dissident sovereignist circles and local identitarian groups, according to lepoing.net.

Expanding Media Reach and Political Connections

Charlie D. gained significant media visibility through appearances on CNews on October 22, 2026, and via the interview platform Legend. During his broadcast appearances, he avoided the legal term milices, opting instead for citizen-led deterrence. His television and online interviews aligned with platforms that critics argue normalize far-right discourse, noting past platform appearances by political figures such as Éric Zemmour and Marine Le Pen, as reported by lepoing.net through analysis from Alexis Lévrier.

Despite his public statements claiming the movement is apolitical and focused solely on supporting merchants, far-right figures and extremist groups quickly endorsed the initiative. Prominent accounts, including Instagram influencer Juliovillaback and identitarian group Jeunes d’Oc, amplified the effort. Although group guidelines prohibited discrimination, lepoing.net reported that racist and islamophobic messages quickly populated the Montpellier Telegram channels without intervention from administrators.

The Montpellier Rally and Ongoing Questions

The movement planned a gathering for October 24, 2026, at the Corum in Montpellier, an area where the Prefecture of Hérault prohibited assemblies. Charlie D. did not respond to requests for comment regarding the nature of the patrols or the unmoderated extremist discourse within the associated messaging groups, according to lepoing.net.