Clément Méric, an 18-year-old gay rights activist, was left brain dead after a vicious attack by a group of three skinheads in Paris Wednesday evening. Méric was known for his radical left-wing activism and is believed to have rallied for France’s recently-passed marriage equality bill, tension over which has often led to violence.
The attack on the teen has provoked horrified reactions across the country. According to The Local:
A number of eyewitness reports, as well as a police source quoted by TF1 television, indicate that a group of left-wing activists had gone clothes shopping on Wednesday evening on rue Caumartin in the 9th arrondissement of Paris.
After far-right activists entered the same shop, there was an angry exchange of words and insults. When the group including Meric left the store, the extreme-right group had “brought reinforcements.”
The victim was hit by a man wearing what appeared to be knuckle dusters, and fell to the ground, hitting his head on a bollard, according to initial reports.
French President François Hollande said he “condemned the attack in the strongest possible terms,” in a statement while on an official visit to Japan. “I have given the most rigorous possible instructions so that the authors of the odious act can be arrested at the earliest possible juncture.”
The Left Party blamed the attack on the neo-Nazi skinhead group JNR (Jeune Nationaliste Revolutionnaire), which angrily denied any involvement. Left Front leader Jean-Luc Mélénchon has called for all far-right extremist groups be disbanded, saying they “have committed numerous acts of violence in Paris and across the country.”
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A vigil and rally against violence is planned in honor of Méric tonight in Paris.
UPDATE: France 24 is reporting that Méric has died. Video has surfaced of Méric marching in a pro-gay rally in Paris this past April while holding a banner that translates to “homophobia kills.”
2eo
Right wing terror groups are organised all over Europe, this sickening attack is just one of hundreds in France, and dozens happening over here in the UK, the extreme right EDL and JNR work together and use agents from each others organisation to have some language deniability.
These terrorist right wing groups need to be disbanded and their members jailed and sterilised.
At the minute the EDL, BNP and UKIP are caught up in a wave of anti islamic violence, I wish the islamists and far right skinheads would just kill each other, then I wouldn’t mind, but they hurt innocent people, and it’s not acceptable.
Triple S
Even though Left Wing politics and activism is counter-productive to long term prosperity and is rather annoying to me, no one should have this done to them. Extreme Lefties can be just as bad as extreme righties, and unfortunately, we can see what extremism of a sort can do. I wouldn’t pin this on ideology alone, but also upbringing; to be able to murder someone comes down to more than what politics you follow.
My most sincerest sympathies to this poor guy’s family and friends.
belcampo
Just to clarify, none of the french media that I consulted reported Clément Méric being gay, but as many young French people, he took part in the pro-gay-mariage demonstrations. This information doesn’t change the fact that in the past weeks and months France has known an increase of homophobic acts of violence from far-right extremists.
Gigi Gee
This is so very sad! I think I made the right choice not to go to Paris this summer but to Belgium and Amsterdam instead.
Mr. E. Jones
Frigid Barjot has birthed this violence, and now she’s backing away trying to claim it’s not her fault. She must be made to pay for this.
Daniel-Reader
People need to remember, especially GLBTA people, that verbal assaults are 19 times out of 20 a prelude to a physical assault so you must be prepared to defend yourself appropriately. BTW Paris is a great place and the majority of people there are wonderful individuals.
stadacona
Lost my sympathy at “far left activist” The far left has murdered hundreds of millions throughout history – far more the far right.
NormdePlume
@stadacona: What a pantload.
LpLover
This is expected. The more we receive our God given rights (so-to-speak), hate groups rise. I feel that we are looking at Gay marriage as a way of acceptance; and if we receive that right, we are now what is considered by the average heterosexual environment as “normal”. There is still a lot of grass roots work to be done to stop gay bashing and the spread of HIV and other important issues we face as a community. I live in the very blue state of Boston and a gay slur was projected at me on the train. I replied with “A sheep knows a sheep”! There was silence. My point is we still have a lot of work to do and we can’t get hung up on that the most important issue facing our community is marriage. Don’t get me wrong, It’s important, but we still have a lot of work to do to make help our community stay safe.
BobBrown
@stadacona: I can not remember the last time that I resorted to name calling but you are a complete moron.
Carrying a sign that read Homophobia Kills, it nearly breaks my heart.
SteveBmke
A Sheep knows a Sheep may work. So does my gun and tazer. I suggest all the gays become the well-armed gays. Time to make sure you can defend yourself if you are going to respond to verbal abuse. They will, so should we. BTW there are no “God Given” Rights. Rights are Rights.
iluvcakes
@Triple S:
“Even though Left Wing politics and activism is counter-productive to long term prosperity and is rather annoying to me, no one should have this done to them. Extreme Lefties can be just as bad as extreme righties”
What a steaming load of bull. There is no equivalence and never has been. An example of an Extreme left person is someone who is overly politically correct, willing to put themselves in danger for things they believe in (ex: tie themselves to a tree about to be chopped down) etc. Extreme right wing are much more likely to kill, maim, use hate speech, etc for what they believe in. The idea that they are just the same in any way is laughable.
bearcanboy
@stadacona: You’re an idiot! Plain and simple.
Kangol
@stadacona:
Not even close, by a mile. The “far left” didn’t exist until the 18th century. The “far right,” operating as the Roman Catholic Church, European royalty and their empires, etc., murdered or killed many hundreds of millions of people all over the globe.
There is no comparison.
RIP to this young man. May the LGBTIQ movement all over the world grow stronger and stronger!