the “accelerationist” movement at work – L’Express

This multiplication echoes the words of Patrick Calvar, in May 2016, who, then director of internal security (DGSI), had mentioned to the deputies the risk of a “confrontation [entre l’ultradroite,] who is only waiting [cet affrontement et] the Muslim world.” “I think this confrontation is going to take place. One or two more attacks, and it will happen,” said the head of domestic intelligence. In an interview with World in July 2023, Nicolas Lerner, head of the DGSI since 2018, indicated that “10 terrorist actions” carried out by the ultra-right had been foiled since 2017. This was the case of the project of the Action of Operational Forces (AFO) group, which notably intended to poison halal food in supermarkets, and whose 15 members were arrested in 2018. Several of them explained that they had joined in response to the Bataclan attack. In June 2023, Alexandre Gilet, a former volunteer gendarme, was sentenced to eighteen years in prison with a two-thirds security period. Author of an ultra-right “manifesto”, he paid tribute to the Norwegian mass killer Anders Breivik, listing plans for mass killings in mosques, Jewish institutions and ministries. He also intended to “avenge” the attacks of 2015.

The “aftershock” mentioned by Patrick Calvar finally took place after the murder of Thomas during a ball in Crépol. According to the public prosecutor, nine witnesses reported “hostile comments against white people” during the evening. For the far right, this homicide would indeed be a continuation of terrorism by other means – Eric Zemmour spoke of “everyday jihad” and “francocide”. In retaliation, 80 ultra-right activists therefore moved to Romans-sur-Isère. Among the 17 individuals arrested we find members of the Vandal Besak small groups, or even the Martel Division, indicates the media StreetPress. A drop in the ocean compared to the number of ultra-right activists identified by the intelligence services.

Around 3,300 people are linked to this movement. Among them, 1,300 are on S file, including so-called “accelerationist” activists, considered to be the most active. According to Beauvau, if their number is “relatively limited”, their violence makes them very dangerous. “These activists espouse a logic of civilizational confrontation, explains MP (Renaissance) Eric Poulliat, co-rapporteur of a fact-finding mission on violent activism, the results of which were published on November 15. As soon as a person they consider to be from ‘another civilization’ – for them, a foreigner or simply a Muslim – is involved in a news item, they seize it and plan to respond in a generally violent.” Their goal: to accelerate the occurrence of a civilizational war that these activists consider inevitable. “They think that an inter-ethnic shock is about to arrive and that, therefore, it is necessary to prepare for it as long as the ‘Whites’ are numerous enough to win”, explains Romain Pasquier, research director at the CNRS.

This theory, a cousin of that of the “great replacement”, finds roots in the United States. The concept was popularized in 2019 by Brenton Tarrant, perpetrator of the shootings at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. In France, accelerationists generally consider that the racial war began in 2015, with the attacks of Charlie and the Bataclan, explained to World the historian Nicolas Lebourg, specialist in the extreme right.

The objective of these small groups being to precipitate civil war, every opportunity is worth taking. “The success of this thesis in ultra-right circles materialized in particular with the affair of Saint-Brevin-les-Pins”, estimates Emmanuel Casajus, researcher in sociology, author of Cultural struggle. Images and actions among identitarians. Yannick Morel, mayor of Saint-Brevin, in Loire-Atlantique, received threats after the officialization, at the end of 2021, of the installation of a reception center for refugees in the town. His house was burned down, forcing him to resign. Last September, 60 ultra-right activists went to the city “for action against the holding of a conference on the reception of exiles”, indicated a source close to the matter at Parisian. Six activists arrested on site will be tried in March 2024. “Like survivalism before it, accelerationism has become a trend in these small groups, underlines Emmanuel Casajus. Several activists notably started from identity groups, such as Action Française, which they consider it not sufficiently virulent.”

A profile such as that of Marc de Cacqueray-Valménier, neo-Nazi activist and founder of Zouaves Paris, dissolved in 2022, spearheading the reactivation of the Union Defense Group (GUD) in the same year, is emblematic of this type of trajectory. Coming from a traditionalist Catholic family close to Action Française, having participated in several of its demonstrations, the young man became a central figure of the French ultra-right. On December 14, 2022, the evening of the World Cup semi-final, he allegedly coordinated an aborted action on the encrypted Telegram messaging service. “Wednesday 8 p.m., France-Morocco. Meet at 8 p.m. at the Pont-Cardinet metro station. There will be many of us, so we will spread out over several [bars] around the square. General mobilization, to defend our flag against the hordes of Moroccans,” he wrote.

The case demonstrates a recurring mode of action in these small groups. Moving activists across France, organizing in a short time for an action similar to that of this weekend, requires a little training. “This logistics is very present among revolutionary nationalists. Action Française organized many ‘trips to Marseille’ for the ‘defense’ of its premises, for example, continues Emmanuel Casajus. We find this ‘know-how’ today .” It is often put into practice during “summer camps” organized by different small groups.

This year, Release in a for example identified around fifteen, organized by identitarians, nationalists or even fundamentalist Catholics. “We should not underestimate the role of these camps in the attitude of ultra-right activists today,” explains Emmanuel Casajus. “Many took part in them this summer and, in recent months, activist life has been particularly busy. They are in a moment of euphoria and feel themselves growing wings.” The attention paid to them only reinforces this feeling. “These groups have a greater desire to dramatize events than yesterday, if only through social networks,” notes Romain Pasquier.

Among the new ultra-right activists, members of Generation Y or Z fed up with digital platforms, image is crucial. Being filmed strolling through old Lyon, as some of them did on Monday November 27 at the call of the small group Les Remparts, is part of this strategy. With only one idea behind it: to precipitate a community confrontation.