LFI MP Raphaël Arnault Moves Book Conférence to Villeurbanne After Lyon Cancellation

French lawmaker Raphaël Arnault will hold a public conference in Villeurbanne on Friday, November 6, after municipal authorities in nearby Lyon canceled his initial booking due to security concerns, Le Monde Politique reported.

The event, focused on the parliamentary representative’s book, was originally scheduled for Thursday, November 5, inside the eighth arrondissement of Lyon. Local officials pulled the municipal room booking, Tribune de Lyon reported.

How the Conflict Unfolded Across Lyon

The controversy began taking shape in the days leading up to the scheduled date. A gathering of ultra-right groups took place outside the eighth arrondissement town hall during the night of Friday to Saturday, according to Tribune de Lyon. Lyon Mayor Grégory Doucet subsequently reported the gathering to judicial authorities, denouncing intimidation tactics.

Yet tension also flared within municipal chambers. The mayor of the eighth arrondissement evacuated the municipal council room on Tuesday, November 3, following noisy protests over the conference’s cancellation, Le Progrès Politique reported. The salle municipale that was meant to host the LFI deputy on November 5 had been withdrawn on Tuesday by the arrondissement town hall over the risk of public disorder.

Security planners faced immense pressure. Thursday, November 5, marked a major intersyndical national mobilization across France, straining available law enforcement resources. Authorities also factored in ongoing public scrutiny surrounding an investigation into the death of Quentin Deranque, an inquiry in which Arnault was questioned the previous week—a location where a certain Raphaël Arnault, surrounded by some of the Jeune Garde members cited or even incarcerated in the investigation into Quentin Deranque’s death, had previously demonstrated against the visit of Eric Zemmour in March 2023, Villeurbanne.com noted.

Political Clash Between Local Leaders and Lawmakers

Anaïs Belouassa-Cherifi, a parliamentary representative for the Rhône department and a close political ally of Arnault, expressed fury over the city’s decision. She accused Mayor Doucet of ceding to pressure from the political right.

In a joint statement alongside Arnault, Belouassa-Cherifi condemned the cancellation as a worrying signal for freedom of expression and public assembly. The two lawmakers argued that Lyon and its surrounding suburbs remain historical territories of antifascism and resistance.

Tribune de Lyon reported that Mayor Doucet maintained in an interview given on Thursday 29 that it was not his role to ban a legitimate parliamentary figure from speaking, though he had discussed a potential date change with Belouassa-Cherifi. That dialogue broke down as local Insoumise networks accused the mayor of maintaining a double standard.

Relocation to Villeurbanne and Remaining Security Questions

Facing the initial municipal block, organizers secured a private venue. But this Tuesday evening, LFI announced that the founder of the Jeune Garde will ultimately hold his conference-presentation for his work Anarchiste on Friday the 6th at the Bieristan in Villeurbanne. The gathering will proceed at 19:00 on Friday at the Bieristan, located on 14 rue Paul-Lafargue in Villeurbanne, featuring a book presentation around his book Antifasciste and a dedicated autograph session.

Legal counsel for the deputies, attorneys Chirinne Ardakani and Louis Pierot, dispatched a formal letter to the prefect of the Rhône department. The legal team demanded that the state deploy adequate security to safeguard attendees and guarantee the constitutional right to assembly.

While organizers dropped plans to immediately file an emergency freedom appeal in court, legal action remains on the table if local authorities attempt to block the new Villeurbanne venue.

Anaïs Belouassa-Cherifi Ignores Mayor Calls Amid Dispute

Not a willingness to yield to demands for a date change by the mayor, assures Anaïs Belouassa-Cherifi, who still has not answered Grégory Doucet’s calls since the beginning of the week.