Far-Right Activists Arrested After Vandalizing Gay Bar During Le Mans Commemoration

"Every year, the ’Souvenir Vendéen’ commemorates the alleged massacre of the Vendeans by the Republicans in Le Mans in 1793," said Christophe Counil, the mayor’s deputy for security. However, this year’s commemoration degenerated. Instead of a peaceful commemoration, violence took hold of the center of Le Mans (Sarthe). At the helm, around fifty far-right activists who committed acts of violence against several cafes, including a gay bar.

"Members of the traditionalist milieu of Action française joined the demonstration, it quickly degenerated, about fifty people including hooded people, armed with batons and baseball bats targeted cafes that do not correspond to their vision of the world, such as a ’gay-friendly’ bar and an alternative bar. There were clashes with the police, people were very scared," recounted Christophe Counil.

"Despite numerous calls from ’antifas’ to come and disrupt the Vendée commemoration, our event took place. About a hundred types present to prevent the troublemakers..." wrote the far-right group "Ouest Casual" on its Facebook page. It claimed the clashes with anti-fascist activists.