France to summon US ambassador after embassy comments on far-right activist's death

2026-02-22 - 21:12

France announced Sunday it will summon US Ambassador Charles Kushner following statements by US diplomatic missions regarding the death of a French far-right activist. Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told local media: "We are going to summon the United States ambassador to France, since the US Embassy in France commented on this tragedy... which concerns the national community." Tragedy and Reactions The move follows the Feb. 12 death of Quentin Deranque, a French far-right activist beaten to death during a fight with alleged hard-left activists. The US Embassy in Paris and the State Department's Counterterrorism Bureau posted on X that they were monitoring the case, warning that "violent radical leftism is on the rise" and should be treated as a public safety threat. French Response "We reject any attempt to use this tragedy... for political purposes," Barrot added, objecting to foreign diplomatic commentary on a domestic incident. The summoning represents a formal diplomatic protest against what France views as inappropriate intervention in internal affairs by US officials.