LYON, France — President Emmanuel Macron demanded a crackdown on political militias after the death of a young nationalist activist sparked fears of street clashes in Lyon. Speaking at the Paris agriculture fair, Macron announced plans for a ministerial meeting next week to scrutinize groups tied to parties across the spectrum.

“In the Republic, no violence is legitimate,” Macron said. “There is no place for militias, wherever they come from. We must be absolutely uncompromising.”

Quentin Deranque, 23, suffered fatal brain injuries in a hospital last week following a brawl between far-left and far-right supporters. The fight broke out on the sidelines of a student meeting featuring far-left lawmaker Rima Hassan as keynote speaker. Lyon’s public prosecutor’s office has slapped preliminary charges on seven suspects: six face counts of intentional homicide, aggravated violence and criminal conspiracy, while the seventh is charged with complicity in those offenses.

Police promised close monitoring of tributes and marches planned Saturday in Lyon, a city long known as a hotbed of far-right activism. Intelligence services view it as the cradle of such groups in France, with far-left militants emerging more recently in response. Deranque’s parents called for restraint and skipped the main Lyon gathering, which authorities did not ban.

Tensions have ratcheted up with municipal elections looming next month and the 2027 presidential vote on the horizon, as Macron’s second term winds down. Rivals piled blame on the far-left France Unbowed party and its leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon. Among the suspects is a parliamentary aide to a France Unbowed lawmaker who helped form the anti-fascist Young Guard group.

Mélenchon condemned the violence and rejected any party responsibility. The longtime presidential contender, who ran in 2012, 2017 and 2022 without reaching the runoff, faces fresh attacks. Far-right National Rally leader Jordan Bardella demanded a united front against France Unbowed. Even former President François Hollande, from the Socialist Party, warned against future alliances with Mélenchon’s camp.

Right-wing forces have seized on Deranque’s death to paint France Unbowed as a violence incubator. Clashes between Lyon militants often escalate into organized street battles involving dozens. Macron stressed remembrance for Deranque and his family must precede any show of force. “This is a moment of firmness and responsibility,” he said.