![\"(FILES)](\"http:\/\/rt.com\/files\/news\/1f\/55\/f0\/00\/000_par7578249.jpg\")
<\/p>\nTens of thousands of enraged protesters gathered across France on Thursday in homage to a teenage activist who died after being attacked by skinheads. Police have arrested seven suspects in connection with an attack deemed \u201cpolitically motivated.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n <\/p>\n
\n More than 15,000 people took to the streets across France
\n following the death of 18-year-old left-wing activist Clement
\n Meric.
\n <\/p>\n
\n At least 6,000 demonstrated in Paris, calling on the government
\n to ban extreme right-wing groups that have become bolder
\n following the legalization of same-sex marriage in the country.
\n <\/p>\n
\n Protesters carried banners emblazoned with \u201cDon\u2019t forget,
\n don\u2019t forgive,\u201d<\/i> and chanted anti-fascist slogans in the
\n French capital\u2019s 5th and 6th districts, near Notre Dame
\n Cathedral.
\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cFascism is gangrene, we either destroy it or it will destroy
\n us,\u201d<\/i> chanted members of Action Antifasciste Paris-Banlieue, a
\n group in which Clement had been a member.
\n <\/p>\n
\n In Toulouse, demonstrators held banners that read \u201cAs some
\n protest, others kill\u201d<\/i> and \u201cWhere is the humanity?\u201d<\/i>
\n <\/p>\n
\n The teenager was severely beaten by a group of skinheads on
\n Wednesday afternoon and was subsequently rushed to hospital with
\n serious injuries. He passed away on Thursday after being declared
\n brain dead by doctors.
\n <\/p>\n
\n Conflicting reports regarding the attack have emerged, but police
\n said that a group of skinheads exchanged insults and jostled with
\n Meric and a few of his friends in a Paris clothes shop.
\n <\/p>\n
\n The skinheads then waited outside the shop and waylaid the
\n 18-year-old and his compatriots; some reports claimed that the
\n assailants were armed with brass knuckles.
\n <\/p>\n
\n ![](\"http:\/\/rt.com\/files\/news\/1f\/55\/f0\/00\/000_par7578331.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n Meric\u2019s death was decried as a \u201cdespicable act\u201d<\/i> by the
\n French government. Several left-wing French parties called for
\n the \u201cdissolution of ultra-violent far-right groups.\u201d<\/i>
\n Leftist groups also urged French citizens to take action and
\n protest the \u201chorrendous\u201d<\/i> murder.\n<\/p>\n
\n In response to allegations that the incident was \u201cpolitically
\n motivated,\u201d<\/i> Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right
\n National Front, issued a statement saying there was \u201cno
\n link\u201d<\/i> between her party and the skinhead attack.
\n <\/p>\n
\n ![\"French](\"http:\/\/rt.com\/files\/news\/1f\/55\/f0\/00\/rtx10e51.jpg\")
<\/p>\n