Death of Clément Méric

On 5 June 2013, a fight between far-left[1] and far-right activists in Paris resulted in the death of 18-year-old leftist Clément Méric. Two rightists, Esteban Morillo and Samuel Dufour, were indicted for his death. In September 2018, they were convicted of manslaughter and weapon supply respectively, and sentenced to 11 and 5 years in prison respectively. Morillo was freed on licence that November after an appeal, Dufour in January 2019,[2] and a second trial began in December 2019.[3]

Rue de Caumartin, site of Méric's death (pictured in 2009)

The lengthy judicial process on Méric's death has centred around contentious points: Méric's own responsibility in the violence,[4][1] and whether or not the accused had brass knuckles, an illegal weapon regardless of context.[5]

Clément Méric

Clément Méric, who died aged 18, was from Brest in Brittany.[6] He was a student at Sciences Po in Paris.[7] Méric was known to the police as a member of a far-left group that actively sought out violent confrontation with the far-right.[8] Méric was in remission for leukaemia at the time of his death.[9]

Death

A sale of Ben Sherman and Fred Perry apparel – popular with both extreme groups – was taking place on the Rue de Caumartin in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. The far-left group verbally provoked the far-right group,[5] and physical violence spilt onto the street, resulting in Méric's death.

Later in June 2013, security footage from Paris's RATP Group showed Méric hitting Morillo in the back, who then turns around and punches him in the face.[10][1][11][4] The video however did not make it clear whether Morillo was armed with brass knuckles, which would be illegal regardless of context.[1]

The Paris prosecutor wanted to charge Morillo with murder,[12] but the investigating judge rejected this and instead charged him with manslaughter.[13]

In September 2018, Morillo was found guilty of manslaughter and Dufour of supplying brass knuckles, while a third man was acquitted of violence to other people. Morillo was sentenced to 11 years in prison and Dufour to seven.[14] Morillo was imprisoned for only 55 days before he appealed and was released on licence.[15] Dufour was also released on appeal in January 2019, ahead of an appeals trial in Évry in December of that year.[2]

The appeals trial was postponed due to a public transport strike, and then the COVID-19 pandemic.[16]

Reactions

President François Hollande and prime minister Jean-Marc Ayrault condemned the death of Méric and pledged to stop the far right.[17] Marine Le Pen, leader of the Front National, condemned the death and distanced her party from it.[18]

Three far-right groups linked to those who killed Méric, including two headed by Serge Ayoub, were proscribed by the French government.[19]

References
  1. Sigel, Adrienne (25 June 2013). "Clément Méric: une nouvelle version révélée par une vidéo RATP" [Clément Méric: a new version revealed by an RATP video] (in French). BFM TV. Retrieved 13 January 2021. Une vidéo de la bagarre survenue le 5 juin dernier, qui a coûté la vie au militant d'extrême-gauche Clément Méric... [A video of the brawl that occurred last 5 June which cost the life of far-left activist Clément Méric...]
  2. Polloni, Camille (25 February 2019). "Affaire Méric : un procès en décembre, les deux accusés libérés" [Méric case: a trial in December, the two accused are freed]. Les Jours (in French). Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  3. "Malgré la grève, le procès « Méric » a débuté" [Despite the strike, the "Méric" trial has begun]. Le Télégramme (in French). 10 December 2019. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  4. "Leftist killed in skinhead brawl 'threw first punch'". France 24. 26 June 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  5. "A fateful Paris shopping trip, and the death that rocked France". Thejournal.ie. 31 May 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  6. "Clément Méric. Indignation après l'agression mortelle du jeune Brestois" [Clément Méric. Uproar after fatal attack on young man from Brest]. Ouest-France (in French). 7 June 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  7. "Paris student dead after skinhead attack". BBC News. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  8. "Qui était Clément Méric ?" [Who was Clément Méric?]. 20 minutes (in French). 6 June 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2021. Selon une source policière, il était connu des services spécialisés comme appartenant à un groupe de militants d'extrême gauche qui recherchaient la confrontation avec des militants d'extrême droite, notamment la vingtaine de skins constituant le noyau dur des JNR (Jeunesses nationalistes révolutionnaires, groupuscule radical), avec qui ils «jouaient à cache-cache et se cherchent depuis quelque temps». [According to a police source, he was known to special services as belonging to a group of far-left activists who looked for confrontations with far-right activists, notably the 20-or-so skinheads who made up the core of the JNR (Young Revolutionary Nationalists, a radical fringe group), with who they "played hide and seek for some time"]
  9. Seelow, Soren (19 June 2014). "Clément Méric : la mort en six secondes" [Clément Méric: death in six seconds]. Le Monde (in French). Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  10. "Affaire Méric : une vidéo montre que Clément aurait provoqué le groupe de Skinhead" [Méric affair: a video shows that Clément would have provoked the group of Skinheads] (in French). France 3. 25 June 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  11. "Selon une vidéo, Méric aurait provoqué son meurtrier" [According to a video, Méric would have provoked his killer]. Le Matin (Switzerland) (in French). 25 June 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  12. "Murder charge sought in Paris skinhead attack". France 24. 8 June 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  13. "Skinhead attack suspect to face manslaughter charges". France 24. 9 June 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  14. "Procès Méric : deux condamnations et un acquittement" [Méric trial: two convictions and an acquittal]. Le Point (in French). 14 September 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  15. "Mort de Clément Méric: Esteban Morillo remis en liberté, dans l'attente de son procès en appel" [Death of Clément Méric: Esteban Morillo freed, awaiting his appeals trial]. Le Figaro (in French). 9 November 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  16. Morelli, Sébastien (10 May 2020). "Essonne : le tribunal rouvre au public… sous condition" [Essonne: the court re-opens...on condition]. Le Parisien (in French). Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  17. "French activist dies after skinhead fight". The Sydney Morning Herald. 7 June 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  18. "Left-wing activist dies after Paris skinhead attack". France 24. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  19. "Clement Meric killing: France bans far-right groups". BBC News. 10 July 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
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