Two more men were arrested on Wednesday morning in connection with the death of far-right activist Quentin Deranque in Lyon on 12 February.
The suspects, aged 22 and 26, were arrested in the Lyon area and in the Aube region, police sources told French news agency AFP.
"We now believe we have all those who were directly involved in the attack on Quentin Deranque," they said.
Quentin Deranque, 23, died during a clash between far left and far right supporters on the sidelines of an event at Sciences Po university in Lyon hosted by MEP Rima Hassan, a member of the far-left party France Unbowed (LFI).
Deranque was part of a group who were in attendance to ensure the safety of activists from the far-right, anti-immigrant Némésis collective.
He died from severe head injuries two days after the incident.
More than 3,000 march in Lyon in tribute to far-right activist
On 17 and 18 February, 11 people were arrested in several French departments, seven of whom were suspected of having participated in the attack. The other four are suspected of having attempted to help them evade justice.
Six men suspected of assaulting Deranque have been charged with voluntary homicide and one with complicity.
Political tensions
Aged between 20 and 26, the seven are, according to a source close to the case, known to be either members of or close to the Jeune Garde ("Young Guard"), a far-left movement founded in 2018 in Lyon by LFI MP Raphaël Arnault, which was dissolved last June.
Two of the seven were parliamentary assistants.
Killing of far-right activist triggers turmoil across French political spectrum
The case has heightened political tensions ahead of municipal elections in March and France's 2027 presidential race, in which the far-right National Rally (RN) party is seen as having its best chance yet.
President Emmanuel Macron – a centrist barred by term limits from standing for re-election next year – said there was no place in France "for movements that adopt and legitimise violence" and called on all political parties to "clean up" their act.
"Nothing can justify violent action – neither on one side nor the other," he said.
(with AFP)
