The French government has moved to dissolve an Antifa group in Lyon over calls for violence against police and violent actions, marking the first time in 40 years the French government has dissolved a far-left extremist group.
French government spokesman Gabriel Attal announced the dissolution of Anti-Fascist Group Lyon and Surroundings, or Groupe antifasciste Lyon et Environs (GALE) in French, earlier this week under a 1936 law originally aimed at far-right extremist groups.
“We have adopted the dissolution of the de facto group known as the anti-fascist group Lyon and surroundings known for its violent actions, its calls to hatred and its virulent and incessant incitement to attack our police forces,” Attal said, broadcaster Franceinfo reports.
“We will respect the republican order to the end and in the face of all those who threaten it,” Attal added.
Olivier Forray, a lawyer representing Antifa Lyon, stated that the move coincides with the upcoming French Presidential election, in which President Emmanuel Macron is the current frontrunner.
“A few days before the elections that will be played on the right, or even on the extreme right, this dissolution is highly symbolic, it is simply an opportunity to give satisfaction to a part of the electorate,” Forray said.
Antifa Lyon has been on the radar of French law enforcement for some time due to anti-police statements made at a festival last December and for threats against the pharmaceutical company Bayer, and its offices in Lyon.
The extremist group issued an ultimatum to Bayer in January on Twitter, stating, “This is an ultimatum. The France head office of Bayer, based in Lyon, must leave. We are giving them 3 months to pack their boxes and get out of their glass tower, and by then we will be able to remind them. Siege the headquarters of the firm on March 05, 2022, Lyon.”
Last year, at least seven members of the group were involved in a violent attack on a man during a protest against Wuhan coronavirus vaccine mandates after claiming the man was a member of a right-wing group.
Florent, a member of Antifa Lyon, stated that the group would fight the decision and appeal saying, “We are not going to give up, we are not dissolving the revolt that is rumbling.”
“On the contrary, we hope that it will wake people up, that it will mobilize them against fascism,” he added.
The government of President Macron has dissolved several groups in recent years after accusations of extremism, including the anti-mass migration youth activist group Generation Identitaire, which was dissolved after several actions along the border of France in which they searched for and reported illegal migrant crossings.