On Wednesday 5th June french antifascist Clément Méric was murdered by a gang of far right skinheads.

Clément, who had been active in Action Antifasciste Paris-Banlieue, and friends were leaving a shopping centre near the train station Gare Saint-Lazare when they were apparently ambushed by members of Jeune Nationaliste Révolutionnaire (JNR - Nationalist Revolutionary Youth). In the resulting street brawl 18 year old Clément received a number of blows with knuckledusters to the head and died on the pavement.

The attack comes amid rising tensions between left and right in France, with the extreme right using the cover of mass opposition to gay marriage* to become more active on the streets. Marine Le Pen and the Front Nationale have distanced themselves from the attack, though their politics of hatred and fear no doubt fuel the actions of the various rightwing street gangs.

Thousands came out on the streets across France following Clément's death including over 6,000 antifascists marching through Paris on Thursday chanting “never forget, never forgive”. Police have arrested 4 members of the JNR in connection with the murder.

* Last month saw one of the few acts of fascist violence SchNEWS can condone when far right 'historian' Dominique Venner shot himself in protest at the new legislation. If only others would follow his lead.