On 12 February in the French city of Lyon, a young man was killed in a political street brawl that escalated very badly. While terrible every time it happens, such a death is, unfortunately, not unprecedented. Usually, it would produce great grief among the victim’s family and friends as well as a criminal investigation to punish the killers, but not a national crisis.
Everything is different, however, in this case: Since Quentin Deranque, a 23-year old data science student, committed traditionalist Roman-Catholic, and New-Right (generically speaking) activist (or militant – take your pick) was beaten and kicked to death by a gang of self-appointed “antifascists,” France has gone through a “drama” as a “national community” (in the words of French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot).
