“There are groups in every region”
What began as a troubling trend in France and across Europe has grown into a broader concern. Reporters described a startling rally on November 25 when hundreds of ultra-militants gathered in the Monnaie neighborhood in Romains-sur-Isère, a town of about 30,000 in southeastern France. The event was framed as a response to a perceived incident involving a 15-year-old who died after a confrontation at a party in Crépol on November 19. In reality, critics argued the gathering served to push xenophobic ideas and target multicultural communities in the region.
Security forces intervened to prevent the protest from escalating. Yet violence persisted: several youths in Romains-sur-Isère were attacked, and one aggressor was struck by residents. The incident in Romains-sur-Isère was not isolated. Cities like Paris, Lyon, and Nice have recently seen similar demonstrations. Across France, extremists sought to leverage a tragedy to advance a hostile, exclusionary narrative, while police investigations did not substantiate claims of a broader white-racism mandate.
The activist network behind the events included members from various far-right groups. Participants reportedly included people connected to generations of identitarian activism and allied formations. Observers and commentators shared updates via social media and left an impression of a coordinated effort involving distinct factions from Paris to provincial towns.
Scholars and analysts emphasize that the violence associated with the far right appears more frequent and increasingly accepted in broader society. Emmanuel Casajus, a sociologist cited in coverage by El Periódico de Catalunya, notes a pattern of aggressive behavior and recruitment among small groups that have intensified over recent years. The assault on a local mayor in Saint-Brevin, Yannick Morez, is highlighted as one of the most serious incidents connected to this trend. After acknowledging a refugee reception center in his town, the mayor faced arson attempts and a Molotov attack, ultimately resigning amid limited administrative support.
“There are groups in every region”
Since 2017, roughly thirteen far-right operation projects in France have been thwarted by law enforcement, though figures remain lower than those tied to jihadist networks. In the broader European context, France has accounted for a sizable share of arrests related to dangerous far-right militants, with 16 arrests in 2022 and 29 in 2021, representing a significant portion of regional activity. The March murder of former Argentine rugby player Federico Martín Aramburu in a Paris bar stands out as a peak episode tied to extremist circles.
Experts like Casajus describe a new generation of activists who think along familiar lines yet favor direct action over symbolic posturing. The flow of weapons to these groups raises alarms, as authorities report large caches seized during arrests. Political scientist Jean Yves-Camus of the Observatory on Political Radicalities emphasizes that small factions are no longer confined to big cities; they have expanded into smaller towns such as Bourges, Le Mans, and Thionville, and they appear in all regions of the country.
Urban centers are not the only sites of concern. A well-known left-wing commentator, Usul, recounts intensified harassment and intimidation that disrupts everyday life for critics and journalists. In one case, a content creator faced an assault by activists after publishing critique of a historical figure, underscoring the climate of fear and intimidation surrounding political speech in certain circles.
Is legalization an effective measure?
Beyond street-level violence, small groups engage in a range of covert actions. Telegram channels such as Affiche ton antifa (Show your antifascist) have been used to share contact details of left-leaning politicians, activists, and journalists. A correspondent for El Periódico de Catalunya reported faced telephone harassment after being targeted in this way. Through their union, Cocarde, these groups attempt to influence university debates and undermine cultural productions by orchestrating negative reviews of films, a tactic that has affected the commercial reception of certain titles like Rodeo and more recently a movie referenced by critics as having failed to meet expectations.
Commentary from Edwy Plenel, director of Mediapart, has criticized the government for seeming tolerance toward these factions. He argues that a consistent stance against both far-right and far-left organizations is essential for public safety. Macron’s administration has taken steps to ban numerous groups since 2017, with dozens of closures aimed at extremist, radical, and violent networks. Yet analysts caution that bans alone may not dismantle these networks, as groups often reconstitute themselves under new names or align with established political movements such as Reconquista or broader nationalist platforms.
Scholars caution that criminal activity by these networks is not simply a matter of rhetoric. They suggest the underlying appeal of xenophobic and nationalist narratives grows when integrated into mainstream discourse. While authorities can disrupt specific operations, the broader social dynamics enable resurgences and realignments that complicate prevention efforts. This dynamic underscores the challenge of translating policy measures into durable protections for communities and civic life.