A 23-year-old man has died from head injuries sustained when approximately 40 militants attacked a group protecting female activists outside Sciences Po Lyon on 12 February.
Quentin was among around 15 individuals providing protection for members of Némésis, a women’s rights organisation, when he was isolated from the group and beaten repeatedly in the head. He received last rites from a priest on the afternoon following the attack before succumbing to his injuries.
The fatal violence erupted during clashes on the sidelines of a conference held by La France Insoumise MEP Rima Hassan at the Lyon university. Tensions escalated when several female members of Némésis displayed a banner criticizing “Islamo-leftists” at the event.
Alice Cordier, director of Némésis, stated the women were physically confronted by anti-fascist groups during the initial clash. A 19-year-old woman was reportedly strangled and dragged during the confrontation before those protecting the activists intervened.
The outnumbered security detail faced overwhelming numbers as approximately 40 militants confronted the 15 individuals attempting to protect the women. During the ensuing violence, Quentin became separated and was targeted with repeated blows to the head that caused a fatal brain injury.
Némésis has identified the attackers as militants linked to the Antifa-aligned Jeune Garde movement, though French authorities have not publicly confirmed this characterization. No arrests or charges have been announced by officials in connection with the 12 February violence.
The organisation campaigns for European women’s safety and describes itself as advocating for female protection, though critics characterise it as aligned with right-wing political movements. The group’s presence at the La France Insoumise conference appears to have been intended as a protest action.
The killing marks a deadly escalation in confrontations between opposing political factions in France, with university campuses becoming violent flashpoints. The Sciences Po Lyon conference became the catalyst for the fatal violence that claimed Quentin’s life.
French prosecutors continue investigating both Quentin’s death and the earlier physical confrontations involving female activists from Némésis. Authorities have not disclosed whether charges are being prepared against any individuals in connection with the incidents or provided details about ongoing investigative steps.
The fatal outcome may prompt reviews of security arrangements and protective measures for contentious political gatherings at French academic institutions. Campus security at universities has faced increased scrutiny as political tensions manifest in physical violence at educational settings.
