This post is republished with permission from Remix News
The U.S. government has weighed in on the killing of French conservative student Quentin Deranque by far-left militant activists, warning that “violent radical leftism is on the rise,” and demanding that those responsible be brought to justice.
In a statement posted on X, the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Counterterrorism said, “Reports, corroborated by the French Minister of the Interior, that Quentin Deranque was killed by left-wing militants, should concern us all. 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.”
Under Secretary of State Sarah B. Rogers also addressed the case, warning about the consequences of pandering to political extremism.
Democracy rests on a basic bargain: you get to bring any viewpoint to the public square, and nobody gets to kill you for it.
— Under Secretary of State Sarah B. Rogers (@UnderSecPD) February 20, 2026
This is why we treat political violence — terrorism — so harshly. Once you decide to kill people for their opinions instead of persuade them, you’ve… https://t.co/Ue6XWFWAFC
“Democracy rests on a basic bargain: you get to bring any viewpoint to the public square, and nobody gets to kill you for it,” she wrote.
“This is why we treat political violence — terrorism — so harshly. Once you decide to kill people for their opinions instead of persuading them, you’ve opted out of civilization. We will continue to watch this case,” she added.
Deranque, 23, was fatally beaten in Lyon following clashes linked to a far-left demonstration. French prosecutors have confirmed that 11 individuals have been arrested in connection with the attack.
Those detained include two parliamentary staff members affiliated with the hard-left La France Insoumise (LFI) party led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, and a former intern of LFI MP Raphaël Arnault. One of the parliamentary assistants, Jacques-Élie Favrot, has now been indicted for intentional murder, serious violence, and criminal association, and his role and the roles of others in the far-left party La France Insoumise are leading to calls for a political “firewall,” usually reserved for the right, to be applied to the left in France.
News of the killing has reverberated across Europe, sparking protests, as well as a diplomatic spat between Paris and Rome.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni publicly expressed solidarity following Deranque’s death, warning that “polarizing ideologies” and a climate of hatred were contributing to growing militancy across the continent. Her remarks prompted a sharp response from French President Emmanuel Macron, who rebuked foreign leaders for commenting on French domestic affairs.
Macron said he was “always struck by the fact that nationalists, who do not want to be disturbed in their own country, are the first to comment on what happens elsewhere,” in comments that were widely interpreted as directed at Meloni.
Meloni hit back on Thursday evening in an interview with Sky TG24, lamenting the fact that Macron “did not understand” the difference between interference and expressing solidarity and concern.
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