Three members of a small French far-right group were sentenced this Friday after being found guilty of plotting to stab President Emmanuel Macron as part of a plan to attack immigrants and public officials. The court heard that the conspiracy aimed to use a ceramic-tipped knife, an improvised weapon designed to bypass certain security measures, and to carry out a high-profile attack in the French capital. The case underscored concerns about political violence and the persistence of extremist ideologies in France’s security landscape.
The second defendant, Jean-Pierre Bouyer, received a sentence of four years in prison, with conditional release possible if he meets certain conditions and time already served is credited against the term. The court ruled that a portion of the sentence would be suspended, recognizing time already spent in custody. The decision reflects a balance between punishing the offenses tied to the plot and acknowledging the pre-trial detention that players endured during the investigation and trial.
The other two defendants were handed lighter sentences, each for offenses related to criminal association and involvement with individuals engaged in criminal activity. A fourth participant was convicted on separate counts of illegal possession and sale of weapons. The judge’s verdict framed the case as an extremist group activity rather than isolated criminal acts, with the defendants linked by a shared intent to pursue violent ends and to threaten public safety.
A small right-wing extremist circle, sometimes described in the press as a loosely organized network, had been under police scrutiny for months. The group’s activity culminated in a public event in the northeast of the country in November 2018, where authorities say a plan was devised to attack Macron with the ceramic knife. The incident highlighted the security challenges posed by individuals who believe in violent action as a political statement and who operate with a sense of impunity in certain environments.
Throughout the investigation, the General Directorate for Internal Security (Direction générale de la sécurité intérieure, DGSI) played a central role in monitoring the group. The agency’s officers tracked communications and movements, evaluating threats to national leaders and to civic institutions. The careful work of investigators helped to prevent a potential attack and brought those involved to justice, according to official briefings and court records presented during the proceedings.
Bouyer’s attorney, Olivia Ronen, voiced criticism of the court’s sentencing in an interview with France Info, describing the penalties as not fully aligned with the alleged charges. The lawyer argued that the facts presented at trial did not clearly demonstrate a concrete plan to assassinate the president or a direct intent to carry out a lethal attack. The defense defense strategy centered on challenging the elements of the conspiracy and disputing the interpretation of the alleged criminal aims while acknowledging involvement in the broader criminal activity associated with the group.