French authorities have unleashed a disproportionate crackdown on peaceful pro-life activists protesting the legalization of euthanasia, highlighting the government’s intolerance for dissent on life-affirming values. On February 24, 2026, around 50 members of Les Veilleurs—a pacifist group known for candlelit vigils since 2013 against same-sex marriage—gathered outside the National Assembly in Paris.
The protesters read philosophical and religious texts and engaged passersby without violence, traffic disruption, or chants. Despite the non-violent nature of the event, police declared it an unauthorized demonstration and deployed 40 officers, including the controversial BRAV-M motorized unit, criticized for excessive force since 2019.
In a scene described by one protester as “ludicrous,” with more police than demonstrators, authorities seized a banner quoting Catholic poet Charles Péguy and arrested 37 participants. They were taken to four Paris police stations, where 35 were held for hours before release following intervention by two members of parliament. The remaining two faced prosecutorial review and extended custody.
This heavy-handed response stands in stark contrast to a similar Les Veilleurs gathering at Place de la Concorde the previous day, which proceeded without incident. Les Veilleurs, rooted in non-violent resistance and drawing on literature, philosophy, and faith, represent a principled stand against the culture of death. The arrests expose a troubling pattern of state suppression, prioritizing radical agendas over free expression and the defense of life’s sanctity.