A controversial moment as far-right rhetoric clashes with cultural products
Another example shows how the French far-right can seize even trivial matters to shape political and ideological agendas. Marine Le Pen’s National Rally (RN) urged supporters to boycott FNAC stores during the Christmas season. The reason: a culture and leisure retailer carried an anti-fascist board game that sparked debate.
In the weeks that followed, leaders on the far right drew attention to the board game Antifa, a cooperative game that invites players to work together against fascism. The product, created by the anarchist publishing house and bookseller Libertalia, carried the message Racism, sexism, nationalism. Stop! Against the extreme right: play. Initially designed as a training tool for left-wing activists, it began appearing in traditional shops and large chains like FNAC from late 2021. It largely went under the radar until it became a talking point for far-right critics.
A multinational retailer and a debate sparked by Trotskyist roots
MEP Jérôme Rivière, aligned with Éric Zemmour’s ultranationalist and xenophobic Reconquista, commented on an image of the game on FNAC shelves, asking in effect if the retailer was handling the display appropriately. The game’s four imagined boxes included actions such as blocking a university, beating a right-wing activist, disrupting a RN rally, and throwing Molotov cocktails at riot police. The exchange prompted a broader discussion about what is acceptable to display in mainstream stores. A few days later, RN-aligned MP Grégoire de Fournas criticized the remarks, highlighting perceived disrespect toward a black leftist representative.
Case summaries circulated in social media posts: Case 1: I block a university; Case 2: I assault a right-wing activist; Case 3: Organizing a RN meeting; Case 4: I throw a Molotov at riot police. A post from Grégoire de Fournas on social media reflected the controversy surrounding the store display.
– A photo posted by an account associated with RN critics and the statement that FNAC should reflect on the decision to stock the game.
Far-right police unions joined the campaign, arguing that anti-fascist groups engaged in destruction or violence against officers at demonstrations. In late November, FNAC announced it would halt sales in response to pressure and media claims about the game’s ingredients.
This decision triggered mixed reactions in France. FNAC has carried a wide range of books, including some associated with far-right figures, alongside works from a broad spectrum of authors. The retailer has roots linked to ex-Trotskyist militants, including Max Théret, a figure in the Spanish Civil War who helped found the cooperative movement that influenced the company’s origin.
Demonizing anti-fascism and the aftershocks
Ultimately the retailer reversed the suspension and decided to continue selling Antifa. A local politician and RN member reacted by urging consumers not to support stores that stock the game. The episode illustrates the Streisand effect, where attempts to suppress content only draw more attention to it. The product quickly sold out for the Christmas period despite the controversy.
The episode reflected a broader pattern in which debates around civil liberties and anti-fascist organizing can become focal points for political messaging. It also highlighted how attention-grabbing disputes can be used to push ideological narratives. The story resurfaced in coverage of a wider political moment in France, where discussions about race, identity, and public policy intersect with everyday consumer choices. There have been ongoing debates about the visibility of left-wing groups in public demonstrations and the role of law and justice in handling such organizations. The government has previously taken steps to regulate or scrutinize left-wing groups in different regions, with various outcomes in the courts.
Overall, the episode shows how cultural products and retail choices can become flashpoints in political struggle. The far right has at times framed anti-fascist organizing as a threat, while supporters argue for free expression and critical engagement with diverse political ideas. The incident demonstrates the power of public discourse to elevate small issues into national conversations and to mobilize broad coalitions around shared concerns about democracy and social change.