A video circulating on social media shows Quentin Deranque, the 23-year-old far-right activist who died after a violent assault, appearing disoriented and injured shortly after the attack. The release of the footage comes as French authorities continue to investigate his death, a case that has ignited political tensions.
A video showing Quentin Deranque just after his assault is circulating on social networks. The 23-year-old, close to the identitarian right, died from his injuries after being beaten with fists and feet, particularly to the head, on February 12 in Lyon.
The sequence was reportedly first shared on Thursday afternoon around 3:30 p.m. By the account “Antifa Lyon” on the X social network. The 31-second clip was filmed at 14 rue Victor Lagrange, near the location where Quentin Deranque was attacked while on the ground. The identity of the person who filmed the video remains unknown.
“He was hit in the head”
In the footage, Deranque is seen standing, wearing black pants, a blue puffer jacket, and sneakers. His head is covered by a garment, scarf, or hood. His hands are stained with blood. He does not speak throughout the clip, appearing pale and dazed.
Deranque stands next to a friend, who likewise has blood on their hands. The two then walk toward his home, a distance of nearly 2 kilometers, where he was hospitalized with brain injuries and a “very seriously compromised prognosis.”
During the short sequence, the two friends appear passive and do not speak. A discussion unfolds among five or six bystanders standing nearby.
–“He was hit in the head sir,” one woman says.
–“They should own it, they were there for that I suppose,” a man’s voice responds.
–“There were two groups. It was an organized fight, there were two groups fighting,” another man explains.
–“I think he needs to head to Saint-Jo (Saint Joseph Saint Luc hospital in Lyon, editor’s note) because he looks really bad,” another man suggests.
–“If he doesn’t wish trouble with the police, I think he should leave,” the same man adds.
A clash between two groups of far-right and far-left activists broke out minutes before the fatal assault on Quentin, during a conference by LFI (La France Insoumise) Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan at Sciences Po Lyon. It remains unclear whether Deranque participated in the initial altercation. According to information obtained by Le Figaro, no scratches or marks were found on Deranque’s hands during the autopsy, suggesting he may not have thrown any punches on the day of the incident.
Those Indicted Linked to Young Guard
Eleven people were taken into custody on February 17 and 18. Six have been indicted for “intentional homicide” and one for “complicity.” They have been detained. Four other people are suspected of helping them evade justice.
The seven individuals indicted are between 20 and 26 years old and, according to a source close to the case cited by AFP, “known to be either members or close to the Young Guard,” a far-left movement founded in 2018 in Lyon by LFI MP Raphaël Arnault and dissolved in June. Two of those indicted were parliamentary collaborators of Arnault.
On Wednesday, two other men, aged 22 and 26, were arrested and placed in custody as part of the investigation into Quentin Deranque’s death. They are scheduled to appear before investigating judges on Friday. Prosecutors have requested their provisional detention.
