Post date: Jun 07, 2013 1:2:2 PM
File footage shows 19-year old far-left activist and student Clement Meric as part of a group of counter-protesters at a demonstration against gay marriage.
PARIS, FRANCE(REUTERS) - Clement Meric, a 19-year old student and left-wing activist, whose violent assault by far-right activists led to his death and has sparked outrage in the country.
Meric died of his head injuries on Thursday (June 6) which came when he fell against a metal post after being punched by tattooed extreme-right youths who he had been taunting in a typical clash between the two camps in the French capital on Wednesday evening, French media reported.Reuters TV footage shows Meric at an April street demonstration in Paris, held in protest at the sometimes-violent rallies being held against gay marriage, standing back from scuffles between police, left-wingers and right-wingers.
His death has sparked calls from opposition politicians to ban France's two dozen or so far-right groups outright, despite concern it might be more dangerous to drive them underground.
President Francois Hollande's year-old Socialist government has promised to look at how to clamp down on extremist violence.