France protests over Lyhanna case demand justice for children

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in more than 160 locations across France on the evening of 8 June, protesting the handling of the Lyhanna case—a teenage girl whose body was found in Gers on 4 June. Organised by feminist and child‑rights groups, the rallies took place in cities such as Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse, Lille and Auch, with participants chanting slogans like “Justice pour les enfants”, “Lyhanna, plus jamais ça” and calling for Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin’s resignation.

Protesters criticised the judicial system for prioritising the presumption of innocence over victims’ testimonies and demanded new legislation to make sexual violence crimes, including incest, non‑prescriptive. The Paris demonstration was moved from Place Vendôme to Place Lépine due to security concerns, yet hundreds still assembled on the Île de la Cité. Notable public figures, including TV presenter Flavie Flament, actress Anna Mouglalis and director Judith Godrèche, joined the crowds.

The protests highlight growing public anger over perceived failures to protect children and women and put pressure on French authorities to address systemic shortcomings in handling sexual abuse cases.