French Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin has accused the ultra-left of being responsible for the fatal beating of a 23-year-old far-right supporter in Lyon. The victim, identified only as Quentin, died after being attacked during a protest against an appearance by Rima Hassan, a member of the European Parliament from the France Unbowed (LFI) party.

The incident has intensified political tensions ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Darmanin specifically blamed France Unbowed and its leader Jean-Luc Melenchon for fueling violence through their rhetoric. The Lyon prosecutor has opened an investigation into suspected aggravated manslaughter, while the victim's family lawyer described the attack as an ambush by "organised and trained individuals" vastly superior in number.

Centrist President Emmanuel Macron has called for calm as far-right leader Marine Le Pen demanded justice for what she called a "lynching." The killing highlights the growing polarization between France's far-right and hard-left factions, with LFI lawmaker Eric Coquerel denying his party's involvement while pointing to violence from far-right groups in Lyon. The case has become a flashpoint in France's increasingly volatile political landscape.