By . Peter Allen In Paris . PUBLISHED: . 07:17 EST, 6 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:09 EST, 6 June 2013 . Victim: Well-known student activist, Clement Meric, has been left brain dead after an attack by a group of far-right skinheads . An 18-year-old student activist has been left brain dead after a brutal attack by a group of far-right skinheads in central Paris. Clement Meric,who attends the prestigious Sciences Po, was 'set about and viciously . beaten by a small gang,' said a police spokesman. 'Those responsible are believed to be . three skinheads, including a woman. All are believed to have attacked . the victim because of his political views.' The horrific crime took place last night, close to Saint-Lazare train station and not far from the Elysee Palace itself. It has already provoked widespread shock across France, where the country's Socialist government is proving incapable of curbing growing extremism. One of the attackers is said to have had a Swastika tattoo on his neck, while another used a knuckle-duster in the attack. Mr Meric, who was well known for his radical left-wing activism, was on his way shopping for clothes with friends when the attack happened. They are thought to have been goaded by the skinheads, who attacked them following an exchange of insults. Emotional: The attack has sent shockwaves through the student population of the Parisian Institut d'Etudes Politique (Institute of Political Science) Horrific: One of the attackers was said to have had a Swastika tattoo while another used a knuckleduster . The skinheads, who are still on the loose, are thought to have been captured on CCTV cameras as they made their get-away. All . are thought to be members of the JNR, the Young Nationalist . Revolutionaries, who support a range of right-wing policies including . compulsory repatriation for immigrants. Mr Meric was rushed to the Pitie-Salpetriere hospital in Paris, where he was later declared brain dead. A . statement released by the Left Party (Parti de Gauche), to which Mr . Meric was affiliated, reads: 'The horror of fascism has just killed . right in the middle of Paris.' Describing . Mr Meric's ordeal, the statement adds: 'Violently beaten to the ground . by a group of activists from the extreme right, manifestly from the . group JNR, left motionless, he was declared this evening to be in a . state of brain death at the Pitie-Salpetriere Hospital in Paris.' The Socialist Mayor of Paris Bertrand Delanoe said he was 'horrified' by the attack . Brutal: The attack took place near Saint-Lazare train station in Paris, not far from the Elysee Palace . But Serge Ayoub, the leader of the JNR, insisted that his group played no part in the attack. 'That's absolutely false,' he said. Bertrand Delanoe, the Socialist mayor of Paris said he was 'horrified' by the attack, while Interior Minister Manuel Valls said he was determined to 'eradicate this kind of violence, which bears the mark of the extreme right.' 'There is no place for small neo-Nazi groups whose enemy is the nation,' said Valls. 'A group of the extreme right is at the heart of this assassination. There is a discourse of hate and a climate that favors this discourse. We need to pay attention to this because they threaten our values.' Harlem Disir, president of the governing Socialist Party, said there would be a rally in honour of Mr Meric in Paris tonight.
Clement Meric 'set about and viciously beaten by small gang' in Paris .
Attackers believed to be three skinheads including a woman .
One had a Swastika tattoo on his neck - another used a knuckleduster .
Horrific crime provokes widespread shock and fear of growing extremism .
Socialist Party to stage rally in Paris tonight in protest .
By . Peter Allen In Paris . PUBLISHED: . 07:17 EST, 6 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:09 EST, 6 June 2013 . Victim: Well-known student activist, Clement Meric, has been left brain dead after an attack by a group of far-right skinheads . An 18-year-old student activist has been left brain dead after a brutal attack by a group of far-right skinheads in central Paris. Clement Meric,who attends the prestigious Sciences Po, was 'set about and viciously . beaten by a small gang,' said a police spokesman. 'Those responsible are believed to be . three skinheads, including a woman. All are believed to have attacked . the victim because of his political views.' The horrific crime took place last night, close to Saint-Lazare train station and not far from the Elysee Palace itself. It has already provoked widespread shock across France, where the country's Socialist government is proving incapable of curbing growing extremism. One of the attackers is said to have had a Swastika tattoo on his neck, while another used a knuckle-duster in the attack. Mr Meric, who was well known for his radical left-wing activism, was on his way shopping for clothes with friends when the attack happened. They are thought to have been goaded by the skinheads, who attacked them following an exchange of insults. Emotional: The attack has sent shockwaves through the student population of the Parisian Institut d'Etudes Politique (Institute of Political Science) Horrific: One of the attackers was said to have had a Swastika tattoo while another used a knuckleduster . The skinheads, who are still on the loose, are thought to have been captured on CCTV cameras as they made their get-away. All . are thought to be members of the JNR, the Young Nationalist . Revolutionaries, who support a range of right-wing policies including . compulsory repatriation for immigrants. Mr Meric was rushed to the Pitie-Salpetriere hospital in Paris, where he was later declared brain dead. A . statement released by the Left Party (Parti de Gauche), to which Mr . Meric was affiliated, reads: 'The horror of fascism has just killed . right in the middle of Paris.' Describing . Mr Meric's ordeal, the statement adds: 'Violently beaten to the ground . by a group of activists from the extreme right, manifestly from the . group JNR, left motionless, he was declared this evening to be in a . state of brain death at the Pitie-Salpetriere Hospital in Paris.' The Socialist Mayor of Paris Bertrand Delanoe said he was 'horrified' by the attack . Brutal: The attack took place near Saint-Lazare train station in Paris, not far from the Elysee Palace . But Serge Ayoub, the leader of the JNR, insisted that his group played no part in the attack. 'That's absolutely false,' he said. Bertrand Delanoe, the Socialist mayor of Paris said he was 'horrified' by the attack, while Interior Minister Manuel Valls said he was determined to 'eradicate this kind of violence, which bears the mark of the extreme right.' 'There is no place for small neo-Nazi groups whose enemy is the nation,' said Valls. 'A group of the extreme right is at the heart of this assassination. There is a discourse of hate and a climate that favors this discourse. We need to pay attention to this because they threaten our values.' Harlem Disir, president of the governing Socialist Party, said there would be a rally in honour of Mr Meric in Paris tonight.
was 'set about and viciously . beaten by a small responsible are believed to be . three skinheads, including a woman. All are believed to have incapable of curbing growing extremism. One of tattoo on his neck, while another used a to have had a Swastika tattoo while another used be a rally in honour of Mr Meric in Paris tonight.