PARIS — French officials will call in US Ambassador Charles Kushner for a formal meeting to address the Trump administration’s remarks regarding the fatal beating of a far-right activist, according to the country’s foreign minister.
Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot announced the diplomatic action in response to a social media post from the State Department’s Counterterrorism Bureau on X, which stated that “reports, corroborated by the French Minister of the Interior, that Quentin Deranque was killed by left-wing militants, should concern us all.”
Deranque, who was involved in far-right political activities, succumbed to brain injuries following a brutal attack in Lyon last week. The assault occurred during clashes on the sidelines of a student gathering where far-left legislator Rima Hassan served as the main speaker.
The fatal incident has intensified France’s already volatile political atmosphere as the nation approaches next year’s presidential election. On Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron urged for peace as approximately 3,000 demonstrators participated in a Lyon memorial march organized by far-right organizations honoring Deranque.
“We reject any instrumentalization of this tragedy, which has plunged a French family into mourning, for political ends,” Barrot said. “We have no lessons to learn, particularly on the issue of violence, from the international reactionary movement.”
The American State Department’s social media statement declared that “violent radical leftism is on the rise and its role in Quentin Deranque’s death demonstrates the threat it poses to public safety. We will continue to monitor the situation and expect to see the perpetrators of violence brought to justice.”
Legal proceedings have begun against seven individuals who received preliminary charges. Lyon’s prosecutor requested that each suspect face charges for intentional homicide, aggravated violence and criminal conspiracy. Six defendants were formally charged on all three allegations, while the seventh received charges for complicity in intentional homicide, aggravated violence and criminal conspiracy.
Barrot indicated he plans to address additional matters with Kushner during their meeting, including American sanctions imposed on Thierry Breton, a former European Union commissioner who oversaw social media regulations, and Nicolas Guillou, a French judge serving on the International Criminal Court.
The foreign minister characterized both sanctions as “unjustified and unjustifiable.”
