Since the success of the National Rally in the European elections of June 9, and in the run-up to the legislative elections, nationalist groups have increased demonstrations of force in several French cities, often accompanied by violence.
Armed with belts or umbrellas, with raised fists or hands clenched around a flag displaying a Celtic cross, the historic standard of the ultra-right, around fifty hooded individuals dressed in black parade on the pavement of Vieux-Lyon. Galvanized by a possible victory of the far right in early legislative elections of June 30 and July 7, they shouted: “ We’re fucking Nazis! “, ” Islam, outside Europe! ” or ” Blue, white red, France to the French ! “. Several passers-by are victims of this outburst of violence. “ I saw a man being beaten with a bicycle chain. They also threw chairs at people, overturned tables, it was chaos », testifies Sarah near Release.
This scene is reminiscent of the GUD activists arrested for a homophobic attack in Paris following the announcement of the electoral triumph of Jordan Bardella in the European elections – “ can’t wait in three weeks, we can break PD as much as we want », said one of them -, the concert in Angers recently attacked by far-right activists, or the violent altercations in the city center of Nancy after the organization of an anti-fascist demonstration.
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“ Participate in the coronation of Bardella »
In several encrypted Telegram messaging channels consulted by RFI, far-right groups such as “Division Aryan Française” or “Canal Natio” even broadcast a list of anti-RN rallies. The members call for “ ratonnades » and incite activists to attack the processions of “ leftists “, For ” defend our flag, our country, our homeland “. Some broadcast videos of violence while congratulating their perpetrators, while others provide advice on how to better attack their adversaries: “ Sneak into the crowd, wait for the protest to end, follow a group to a camera-free location and deal with them “.
Such disinhibition is explained, according to Erwan Lestrohan, by the “ over-mobilization of the National Rally electorate ”, which seems to be interpreted as a blank check for their actions, or even their very existence. If this phenomenon remains “ not very measured » according to the consulting director of the political polling institute Odoxa, it is impossible to ignore that nationalist ideas, legitimized by the ballot box, are thus becoming more acceptable.
Xavier Crettiez, political scientist member of the Observatory of Political Radicalities, even speaks of a “ framing effect “. “ When there is violent collective action, in order to take place, it must be framed and resonate with a dominant framing. This dominant framing, carried by the RN, broadcasts a message which would be focused on a migratory threat, a danger from abroad, a refusal of otherness and a desire for national withdrawal. “, points out the expert, who recalls that the 1930s, which saw the rise of radical nationalism in France, also experienced a ” street militia » and an increase in violent expeditions.
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A resurgence that is all the more effective as the Lepenist party has the wind in its sails: in addition to its historic success in the European elections which has made so many radicals euphoric – 31.5% of the vote, compared to 23.34% in 2019 – the base of Support for the National Rally has increased significantly over the years. In 2012, Marine Le Pen brought together 6.4 million voters. Ten years later, in 2022, this figure rose to 13.3 million. “ This impression of getting on the winner’s train and participating in the coronation of Bardella or the victory of the RN can lead a sympathizer to join this camp and be more demonstrative “, even violent, analyzes Erwan Lestrohan.
A trend that even the student Cockade, a far-right union, has noted. “ The evening of the announcement of the European results and the dissolution, we recorded around ten new memberships, compared to one every three days in normal times. », explains Edouard Bina, president of the organization which prides itself on having 500 members and 22 sections at its side.
“ We had a new wave of young people who arrived seeing videos of Jordan Bardella on social networks », including middle school students, he specifies. Its members define themselves as “ right-wing, right-wing union tendency “, although some sometimes indulge in to violence. For the head of the student union, on the other hand, the increase in violence from small ultra-right groups is less due to the success of the RN at the polls than to ” chaos caused by the far left ”, which pushes activists to “ ensure order » in place of the State.
Violence as an identity marker
In Telegram channels, this same justification comes up regularly. “ Protect yourself, the state won’t “, we read in the “French Aryan Division”. “ We have entered the struggle of Good against the forces of Evil », Supports the administrator of the “Memora Natio” channel, which claims to be nationalist, royalist and Catholic – and is pleased to have received “ dozens of new comrades joining [ses] ranks » since the unprecedented breakthrough of the RN.
Between Nazi chants and messages to the glory of Hitler follow one another those riddled with hatred towards their adversaries, the list of which is long: the “ antifa », the New Popular Front, members of the LGBTQI+ community, immigrants, Jews…
For the members of these small far-right groups, whose number is estimated at around 3,500 – including 1,300 on S files –, violence is a “ identity marker », underlines Xavier Crettiez. “ It is violence against individuals who embody an opposition to their fantasized vision of a homogeneous nation, namely white, nationalist, French and Catholic.explains the expert. Going to fight in the street against an opponent creates a strong identity that resonates with the national ideology. It’s a close-knit group of brothers in arms. »
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If these small groups benefit from the electoral success of the RN, they are not satisfied with this political proposal. Accused of gentrification or even of “ to warp », Lepéniste training is sometimes described as a “ part of the system » in the pay of his « demonization policy » to gain power.
“ They are not objective allies of the National Rally, on the contrary they try to compete with it and force it to be firm by representing a radical fringe », summarizes Xavier Crettiez. A fringe that is often cumbersome for the RN. Jordan Bardella promised, Wednesday June 19, to dissolve all “ ultra-right and ultra-left organizations », including the GUD, if he became Prime Minister.
The words of Yvan Benedetti, former FN elected official from Vénissieux convicted of contesting crimes against humanity, are also relayed in these Telegram loops: “ Whatever the result of the legislative elections, the institutions will not allow a policy of rupture which alone could restore France. » The members then advocate the establishment of a “ Resistance front ”, which requires “ blow up the Overton window in [leur] camp “. The objective is clear: to push the limits of political correctness to allow an even more radical nationalist line to see the light of day.