The essentials
Ultra-right militants confronted protesters in Nice and Montpellier, leading to eleven custody placements and a Nice prosecutor investigation.
Masked ultra-right militants attacked protesters in central Nice, and three people were lightly injured in clashes in the old town. Estimates of the number of ultra-right militants involved in Nice range from about 50 to about 100.
Eleven suspected ultra-right individuals were placed in police custody in Nice. Some of those detained were carrying masks, gloves, tear gas and batons. The Nice prosecutor has opened an investigation into aggravated violence in the city centre.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reported ultra-right militants confronting protesters in Nice and in Montpellier. In Montpellier, a group of about fifteen men wearing white armbands confronted protesters. Montpellier mayor Michaël Delafosse condemned the ultra-right violence and called for arrests.
Some Nice militants are suspected of belonging to Aquila Popularis or BSN supporters. A police commander rejected an offer of help from the militants.
The available material does not give the number of people detained in Montpellier, the sequence of events in either city, or how the suspected group affiliations were established.
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Police Custody and Investigation Follow Ultra-Right Clashes in Nice
Authorities have moved to detain suspects. Eleven individuals were taken into custody in Nice, and some carried masks, gloves, tear gas and batons. The prosecutor's aggravated violence inquiry treats the city-centre clashes as a criminal matter. A police commander also turned down an offer of help from ultra-right militants, drawing a clear line between law enforcement and the groups involved.
Mayors Condemn Assaults as Protesters Gather Despite Nice Ban
Local leaders have spoken out against the violence. Nice mayor Éric Ciotti condemned assaults on protesters, while Montpellier mayor Michaël Delafosse condemned ultra-right violence and called for arrests. Around 2,300 people still demonstrated in Nice despite a prefectoral ban, showing that mobilisation continued despite the restriction.